As the temperature drops and our course load increases, it’s hard to believe that we’ve only been on the Hill for a few short weeks. From moving into our dorms, to determining our new study spots in Dinand, or attempting to remember our combinations for our mailboxes, we are all slowly getting back into the swing of things. I find myself thinking that we have been here for weeks on end and with October break less than three weeks away; I wonder how time has gone by so fast.
At Holy Cross, everyone on campus is busy. From balancing athletics and academics or trying to get to every meeting for internships, study abroad, and the countless clubs offered here, our daily lives leave little time to stop and just think. But with the days already flying by, its important to take a step back from our hectic lives for a little while.
My swim coach, the infamous and incredible Barry Parenteau, reminds our team at every meet to appreciate the moment and to appreciate what we have. He is always telling us how lucky we are to get to do what we love everyday and to be thankful for all the blessings in our lives. Sadly, sometimes when he says these things to us, most of us are probably thinking about what were going to eat at Kimball that night for dinner or how sore we are from lift that morning. But his messages for us are both poignant and incredibly important for everyone to remember and truly take in.
We are all so lucky to go to such an amazing school filled with smart, talented, and seriously wonderful people. There is always a friendly face no matter where you go on campus and although our campus is small, new friends are made everyday. Because the Hill is our home, we often forget how special it really is. We’ve all had our ups and downs but comfort on this campus is never far away. From a hug from your roommate after an especially bad day or the forever-endearing Sis swiping you into Kimball, there’s something to smile about every day.
We all come from different places and have different backgrounds but when were at Hill we all share a bond that sometimes is hard to explain. Being a Crusader is special. No matter where I go, if I’m wearing any Holy Cross apparel, I somehow end up running to alumni who would gladly talk for hours on end about their amazing experiences at HC. Every person I’ve ever met who went to Holy Cross would gladly go back in a heartbeat. To me, this expresses how incredible and memorable these 4 years really are.
With our schedules so packed with activities, it’s hard to fit in time to sit back and reflect on how truly lucky we are to call this beautiful campus home. But it’s important to embrace everyday here on campus and experience everything that we can. There really is something to celebrate in every single day and on our wonderful campus, our home away from home, there are countless things to smile about. So appreciate the moment, appreciate what you have, and always appreciate our home on the Hill.