I had a vision of my sophomore year. It was going to be amazing, I already had a great friend group, was excited about my classes, and was ready for a better year than last. Then it felt as if everything was working against me. I got disappointing news, felt isolated, and just wanted to go home. I got a call and got news I did not want to hear which led to a tearful phone call with my mom. At that moment, I decided to allow myself to wallow in self-pity for the rest night and wake up with a new mindset. I woke up the next morning and decided I would make the best of my situation and turn it into an opportunity for myself.Â
I set a challenge for myself that yes, bad things happen but that does not mean I am going to have a bad day. This effectively changed the rest of my year. I found bright moments in my day by simply laughing at the bad things or not letting them overcome my day. I wanted my sophomore year to live up to the expectations I had set before I came to school. This year was going to be a great year despite any hardships that came my way. Soon things began to change for the better and I found myself happier than I had ever been here.
This year has brought me more joy than I ever could have imagined. I had many firsts like running my first half-marathon, going on my first date, my first SBIP trip, and so much more. Sophomore year has been a year of growth and figuring out who I am as a friend, student, daughter, runner, and all the other identities I have assumed this year. I look back and think there are moments that I would have done differently, but in all honesty, I would not change a single thing about this year.
People often think that sophomore year is going to be a perfect year where you party all the time and nothing goes wrong. Do not get me wrong, sophomore year has been great and by far the most fun I have had at Holy Cross, but it also had its ups and downs. My takeaway from this year is that sometimes life gets in the way of happiness, but it is better to laugh it off and not let it ruin your day. Many opportunities would have been missed this year if I had not changed my outlook in those first few weeks of school.