First Person: Creating Opportunities in 2020
2020 is a year of opportunity. It is a year of throwing any preconceived “normalcy” out the window and developing new precedents on what your day-to-day will look like. Coming into my senior year I have had my fair share of breakdowns and anxiety-filled moments. However, more than that, it has been filled with the ability to create my own opportunities and learn from those around me.
Although my first three years at St. Lawrence University (SLU) have been incredible, this past fall has been arguably the most special for me because it showcases all of the incredible and unique aspects of SLU. When asked two words to describe SLU, I religiously say “home” and “community”. For me, these two words seem to be synonymous and inseparable. When I say one, the other always seems to follow.
St. Lawrence is where I am comfortable, it is where I can be myself, knowing that if I feel alone there will always be someone to take a walk with, sit in the student center with while eating a breakfast wrap (with a hash brown inside, of course), or do homework with.
This semester at St. Lawrence has taught me four primary lessons that will go far beyond my college years. Specifically, the people at St. Lawrence have taught me these lessons through the experiences I have had. Among many lessons learned, the four that stick out to me include: Laurentians come together when put in difficult situations, quality time is often more valuable than the quantity of time, you need to ask questions and be curious, and always remember who helped you along the way to reach your success.
Laurentians Come Together When Put in Difficult Situations
I have learned this in many different ways, including during the first week of school and my most recent week of school this year.
The first week is Orientation Week, where 45 upper-class students welcomed the incoming students with chaos, planning, excitement, and everything in between to a semester unlike many before. This is in part due to COVID-19 causing the students who would normally be on campus in the fall to spread out among three different semesters. Due to this, more students had to fill open Orientation Leader spots. Without hesitation, many students, including myself, stepped up and fostered an incredible environment for the Class of 2024 despite the many challenges.
I most recently witnessed Laurentians coming together when put in difficult situations this past week during SLU Connect LIVE (organized by the offices of Advancement and Career Services). This opportunity allowed me to participate in virtual events and conversations with alumni. I was able to take a step back and be in awe of the passion and desire of alumni who help current students despite everything going on in the world.
Alumni jumped on Zoom calls with current students and wanted to give advice, connect, and learn more about what it's like to be on campus right now. It was a remarkable week that spoke endlessly to the community that is fostered at St. Lawrence.
Ask Questions and be Curious
At the beginning of summer 2020, I sat down and wrote out goals of how I was going to make the most of my semester. As a leader of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), I worked with my peers to devise a plan on how we were going to make a positive impact on our campus. The idea we developed was to unite the Laurentian community in a variety of ways. One way we wanted to achieve this goal was through the sale of T-shirts.
This T-shirt was the start of an effort to share knowledge and passion for not only sport but other areas on campus as well. Our goal was to create a T-shirt that alumni, students, staff, and faculty all could wear to share a sense of pride in belonging to the Laurentian community.
This goal was big. This goal was intimidating. But as leaders of SAAC, my peers and I asked. We asked our advisors how we could achieve this and implement our ideas. Ever since then, we have been working constantly to achieve our goals. Two weeks ago, we concluded the sale of the T-shirts and raised funds for the Diversity and Inclusion Office here at St. Lawrence. The take-home from this story is you need to be curious; if you ask for help, there are many people at St. Lawrence eager to help you succeed.
Quality Time is Often More Valuable than Quantity of Time
This year is unlike any before it. As students, we don’t have the luxury of seeing every friend on a day-to-day basis like in past years. Rather, this year has new opportunities to deepen relationships that we otherwise would overlook.
As a senior, I have had the ability to forge friendships with my neighboring townhouses (socially distant of course), spend time with my (only) housemate (shout out Sydney!) by making homemade meals, and sharing insightful conversations that will stick with me for a lifetime.
Always Remember Those Who Helped You Along the Way to Reach Your Success
Thank-you notes. Thank-you notes are huge at SLU. I have learned that time is an essential part of people’s days. It is one thing that you can never get back, which is why it is so valuable. During my first three years at SLU, I learned to always write thank-you cards because it shows the individual to whom you're writing that you appreciate them enough to take time out of your day to thank them. Looking back at my semester, there are many people that gave their time to talk to me and provide me with invaluable experiences.
I truly believe that all of these lessons above can be learned in other places throughout your life, however, it is the mindset of opportunity that SLU provides you with that makes our community so special. St. Lawrence University sustains a dynamic environment where you are expected to fail, you are expected to learn, and you are expected to grow. Along the way, there are Laurentian there who help you continue to foster connections for your future. St. Lawrence has given me many opportunities and for that, I will cherish it forever. Here We Go, Saints!
