What I’m Thankful For:
Reflecting on the uncertainty we have all faced in these past few years, I find myself giving more and more thanks. This Thanksgiving, I am most thankful for Holy Cross (Cheesy, I know, but let me explain). Last November, I woke up every morning to log into Zoom classes in my childhood home. My high school friends had all been at (real) college for months. My weekends consisted of watching movies with my mother and hitting the sheets at 10 PM, latest. I desperately wanted to grow and meet people who would challenge my beliefs and values. I wanted more out of life, but I simply did not have the means of getting it. Now, a year later, I have formed relationships who have turned my world upside down, people I can’t believe I’ve only known for nine months. I have lived on my own, and I have made important decisions on my own. I have found the strength to step away from people who do not serve me anymore. I have been knocked down, but I have always stood right back up. Although I am still a little fish in a big ocean, I feel more like Riley Peck at Holy Cross than I ever have before.Â
Thanksgiving HerCampus Interview:
To express our gratitude for HerCampus, the members of the Holy Cross team spent time getting to know members of other chapters. I met with Sofia Cappllonch-Perez. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Sofia is a fourth year student at the University of Puerto Rico. As an Environmental Design (Architecture) major and Art minor, Sofia is currently applying for her masters in music production and hopes to pursue a masters in architecture in the future. For fun, Sofia plays violin in an orchestra and a guitar in a local band. She has recently started kickboxing in order to release some steam and manage her stress.Â
As a new member of the University of Puerto Rico’s chapter of HerCampus, Sofia’s sister, the Editor-in-Chief, inspired her to join the club. Moreover, she recently took a History of Architecture course that required her to upload weekly blog posts. She decided to challenge herself by writing her articles completely in English, further advancing her writing skills. When brainstorming ideas for HerCampus, Sofia fills out the Article Pitch Form with the question, “If I opened up a blog, what would I want to read about?” in mind. For HerCampus, Sofia mostly writes about entertainment, and loves writing movie reviews. In the future, she hopes to write articles specific to her school and her experiences as a student. She aims to write more in first person to develop a more unique voice and emotionally connect to her readers. Sofia finds time management the most challenging part of HerCampus. She uses timers to keep herself regimented, but frequently spends more time on tasks than she would like. Although she finds herself busy with HerCampus, Sofia loves her chapter’s themed-weeks, including childhood nostalgia week and supernatural week. Sofia also commented on the strong sense of community in her chapter. They laugh together, cry together, and watch movies together.Â
This Thanksgiving, Sofia is most thankful for music. Going to orchestra concerts and band rehearsals has allowed her to keep her mind off of school and kept her sane during the past four years of university. Music provides Sofia with a structured schedule and gives her the space she needs to explore artistically. This Thanksgiving, after not travelling since 2019, Sofia will fly to her uncle’s house in Miami (Cool Sidenote: Her uncle, the director of Justin Bieber’s “Despacito” video, is nominated for a Latin Grammy!). Together, they will share a meal (Her grandad always cooks the turkey) and listen to music. Although Sofia finds herself questioning the morality of Thanksgiving’s origins, she will use this day to reflect and be grateful (though she believes everyone should practice gratitude everyday).Â
I am so thankful for the opportunity to chat with Sofia and learn about her life as a student at the University of Puerto Rico. Although we have different schedules, interests, and hobbies, we share one thing in common: our love for writing and HerCampus.Â