Dear baby Belle Liv,
Welcome to Saint Mary’s! Aren’t you so thrilled?! You’re about to begin some of the best years of your life. You have to be insanely excited to start this new chapter in your life! Moving away from home may be a scary thought, but you’ll be able to adjust pretty well. Before you embark on your college experience, let me give you some advice that you may want to utilize during your time here.
Let your parents help you move into your new room. As much as it can be annoying for them to rearrange your room 4-5 times before you figure out the right configuration, you’ll appreciate having them there. They’re just as nervous having you leave home as you are actually leaving home. Enjoy those quick trips to Target or Walmart to buy a futon, TV stand, or miniature refrigerator. It alleviates your wallet quite a bit, but the memories attached to those moments are priceless.
It is absolutely OK to question your major. You know what, it’s just as OK to decide, not decide, or switch your major. Find something that you know you can develop a strong passion for and develop valuable skills. You have time to switch and as many times as you see fit. What’s great about the education here is exploring all of your options. These courses are meant to be challenging and find your best interests, seeing what would be the best fit for you. No matter what you decide, the faculty and staff within your ultimate department will support you. They will back you up 100% and foster to your needs.
It is also absolutely OK to constantly call your parents and/or siblings to ask them questions, vent, cry, or whatever emotion you feel the need to release during times of stress. This doesn’t mean you can’t handle the pressure—on the contrary, you most definitely can. It’s completely acceptable to ask for help from them. They’ve been in your shoes; they will support your decisions. They want what’s best for you. If that means questioning why you chose your major, a fight with a friend, or some other dilemma in your life, they’re listening to you. You need to listen to them. Be sure to thank them for helping you get to where you are.
Get to know your professors. In high school, it seems as if the teachers may be out to get you and be sticklers for grading/rules. In college, that’s different (well, depending on the professor). The professors challenge you because they want you to learn for yourself. This experience isn’t testing to see how well you remember specifically minute details about chapter content you learn in class. Your professors are testing you to see how well you understand the overall material, how you strategize remembering the important details, and adjusting to their teaching styles. They will help you when you ask. You will be able to ask them for help because that shows a sign of you actively learning and wanting to learn. They will get to know your personality, whether they like it or not. Eventually, you’ll greatly appreciate their flexibility, support, and encouragement to see you succeed, grow, and develop. You will develop professional relationships with them and they will get to know you for you. Don’t ever take that for granted.
Don’t get upset if you fail at something. It’s a learning experience. Sometimes you learn better when you fail rather than passing with ease. What you do with that failure says more about your character and development than brushing it aside if you succeed. You’re not supposed to be the best at everything, and that’s OK. You will face rejection. As much as it sucks, you will become a better person from it. Failing is a part of life; it’s best if you learn for yourself during your time here how to come back from it and stand taller than before. You show more strength when you overcome failure. At 19, you’re most definitely not supposed to know every little thing in life with great ease. You have to understand what strengths you have and what weaknesses you need to improve.
Not everyone is going to like you, which is completely fine. You will make the friends that become sisters during your time here. There are going to be people who can’t stand your personality, don’t respect your beliefs, or basically think the worst of you. Let them do that; let them waste their time and energy doing so and you move on to bigger and better things. Don’t get caught up on making other people happy. You are your first priority. You know what are the most important things in your life and you understand what will make you the best version of yourself that you can be. You will have those people that enhance your personality rather than knock it down. If people don’t like it, they can find something better to fixate their attention on. You’re going to face that in the future, so get ready. They’re missing out on a dynamic, unique, and all-around kick-ass woman—that’s their loss.
Go out and try new things. Take a risk. Travel with friends. Do the push-ups at football games (no, you’re seriously not too heavy to be lifted by several other students there to help you out). Play the intermission games during hockey season if you’re asked, or even ride the Zamboni. Take advantage of the free opportunities—sports, performances, concerts, anything. One, it alleviates your wallet substantially. Two, you’re stepping a bit out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll meet people that become important in your life. Maybe you’ll get to experience surprises that you never would have thought about. You never know what will happen until you go out there and try.
Speaking of going out, you should probably shower before you do (if you so decide). That way, if you’re concerned about what you wear when leaving your room, you’ve already won half the battle by smelling halfway decent. Having good hygiene apparently works like a charm (or so I’ve been told).
And last, but most definitely not least, make sure you appreciate your time here. Go on walks down the Avenue. Walk the mile to the Grotto if you need to light a candle or say a quick prayer. Sit outside when the sun sets. Sprawl out across the grass to even out your farmer’s tan on a beautiful sunny day. Shoot a smile and wave hi to other girls walking past you. Cherish the conversations you have with your friends, roommates, and other experiences you get to have with them. Before you know it, you’ll blink and see countless Justin Timberlake “It’s Gonna Be May” flyers around campus. Trust me, you can’t escape them.
You came here for an amazing education to make you stronger, more intelligent, sociable, experienced, and challenged woman more than you could have ever imagined for yourself. You will discover the best version of yourself and develop your biggest passions. You’ll learn an immense amount of valuable knowledge that will go a long way in your life. You came here to meet other girls like you that may be feeling the same way you do the first time you step foot on campus. Time will escape you because of how driven, focused, and outgoing you are with others. Four years seems like a short amount of time to fit SO much in, but those memories will last a lifetime. Make the most of your time here. You won’t regret it. You may have to leave campus after g-day, but Saint Mary’s will always be home. Enjoy it.
Sincerely,An(almost) ready Olivia for the next phase