I didn’t cry when my parents dropped me off at college. I didn’t cry after the first night, or the first week, or the first month.
I honestly thought something was wrong with me because I didn’t feel homesick when I moved into Smith (which I’ll affectionately always call 150) my freshman year. I had a great window seat with a view of the common, a roommate willing to explore with me and people on my floor that saw me as their friend; a few still to this day.
Sure, this isn’t everyone’s experience in college, and the reality of the Kennedy family’s ‘Camelot’ quickly died down as I experienced heartbreak, confusion and much more. But I grew into the person I am today, all while being at Suffolk. I have experienced some of the most beautiful and saddening moments of my life while living in the heart of Boston, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
For the incoming class of freshmen; you determine how your four years will go. Sure, there may be things out of your control or things you just cannot change. But it’s what you do in those moments that determine how your experience will be. Treasure the people you meet and the connections you make. Most likely, your major is offered at a million universities under the sun, but it’s the people you meet here that will make you want to stay. There are a number of professors, faculty and students here that have truly made my Suffolk experience.
Being a Ram means taking advantage of all the opportunities that come your way. I never imagined I’d travel outside of the country to Spain, or find myself on a billboard in South Station. In my mind, if the opportunity didn’t work out, it would at least be a good story later on.
Being a Ram means loving the city. There’s something special about taking the Red Line over the Charles and seeing the city pass by before plummeting into the fast, dark tunnel. Or, walking back to the dorms as the sun sets over the Boston Common. Even in the craziness, I know I’m lucky to be studying in this city.
Being a Ram means being part of a community. Especially on a non-traditional campus, it’s important to find your group of people. It doesn’t always come easily, and it may often change, but it’s important to feel that you’re part of a community. I’ve found community in my on-campus jobs, The Suffolk Journal, other students that share my class schedule and participating in events. Four years later, I’m still connected to the people that lived on my floor freshman year.
I do not know what the next four years will look like. For most seniors, the question of what we’ll do next is constantly being asked. The culture around college graduation has become so focused on what’s next that it feels like we forget to focus on the present.
After four years, two residence halls, a pandemic, late-night Bova’s runs and many group projects, my Suffolk journey has come to an end. I’m excited for my next chapter, but there’s something about the wind tunnel coming out of Samia and the line for coffee at 9 a.m. in Sawyer that I’ll miss in a bittersweet way.
It’s never easy to leave home. But it makes it just a little bit easier when you can look back at the good times.
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