A Candid Conversation with Susanna Smith

Susanna Smith (aka Susie Smoothe) finished up her undergrad at Miami last year and is now in her first year of graduate school for gerontology. Susie is an Oxford native and one of the most knowledgable, loving, kind, and real people that I know at Miami. Every conversation that I have with Susie is so effortless and refreshing, no matter how silly or serious we are at the time. Personally, I think everyone should be able to experience at least a fraction of the beautiful mind that is Susanna Smith. So, kids, listen up and take some life advice from Suz:

Her Campus: What advice do you have for making the most out of Oxford?

Susanna Smith: You have to be really open to new experiences and getting out of your comfort zone, as much as that sounds cliche. Some of the best things that have happened to me have been unplanned events, and I just said ‘yes’ to them. So, just trying to be more positive and give yourself more by saying ‘yes.’ 

HC: How would you define self-care and taking time for yourself?

SS: I think not caring about what your obligations are, and just giving yourself time to be with yourself and the people you really like. That’s how you recharge; that’s how you are fueled to do other things that are important. By giving yourself an allowance of being free. 

HC: What is confidence to you?

SS: That’s a good question because I, like everyone else, have struggled with confidence. I feel that I am confident in my abilities and, in some areas, I am confident, but there are others that I really have to work on. Recently, I took a strengths finder test for a class and it basically gives you your top 5 strengths. The professor used this really good analogy of a car. So, you want to use your different strengths in different situations. The example that she gave was “my number one strength is ‘achiever,’ but I’m also a ‘learner.'” So when I go into a feedback situation I need to put my achiever in the back seat because if I go in with that mindset then I’m just going to get upset because it’s not the best that I think I can do. So by putting that in the backseat, I can lead with my learner because then I can be more receptive to whatever situation I am in. Thereby, feeling more confident in my abilities. 

HC: Right, by being able to gauge situations like that. I think it gives you more confidence.

SS: Yeah, I think its really valuable for everyone to know what their strengths are. 

HC: What are your thoughts on love? 

SS: Love is a really good thing. When people think about it, it’s in a romantic context, but there are so many other types of love that can be energizing. It is so important to love than to not let yourself love. You should always love no matter what. It’s the only way you can be vulnerable and trust someone else. And also learn about yourself in the process. 

• life advice