I am a Saint Mary’s woman. I am Saint Mary’s. She’s Saint Mary’s. That’s so Saint Mary’s. #justsmickthings. You’ve heard them before. They’re everywhere. Heck, when you decided to come here, you even got a tshirt in the mail telling you that in fact, you ARE Saint Mary’s. But, what does that actually mean?
I didn’t really learn the answer to that until I was interviewed for a video describing the student experience at Saint Mary’s College. And maybe I was chosen because I’m a legacy. Maybe it was because I wear pearl earrings and a monogram necklace. Maybe it’s because, to the best of my ability, I try to be an engaged learner and benefit from every class I enroll in here. Or maybe it was because by luck of the draw, my name was picked out of a hat and that alone makes me worthy of showing the world what it means to be a Saint Mary’s women.
Seems random, but that’s the most probable cause. And it makes the most sense, too. Because of all 1500+ students who go here, we are all equally qualified to be “a Saint Mary’s woman.” There’s no prototype. No height or weight requirement. No one major that makes you better than any other student on this campus. No hometown, background, or adversity that makes you more Saint Mary’s than your roommate, or friend down the hall, or student next to you in class.
So if that’s not it, how do you become Saint Mary’s? And no, the answer isn’t by accepting your admission and packing up for South Bend. You become Saint Mary’s because Saint Mary’s becomes a part of you.
You breathe the scent of a LeMans stairwell. You learn from professors who enhance your outlook on academics and life in ways you never knew possible. You form friendships that fulfill you. You speak your mind in class. You follow your interests. You grow from your mistakes. You become the best version of yourself. A “self” that can only truly blossom once you turn down the Avenue…
So, yes. I am Saint Mary’s. But so are you. And that fact is something we should celebrate not only during Heritage Week, but every day.
Happy Heritage Week Belles!
HCSMCXO,
Claire