I’m sitting in the Spectrum office on my last day of classes ever and I’m unsure what to write. I’ve always enjoyed writing (obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t have this position) but it feels like there are not enough words to describe how I’m feeling. How could I possibly sum up the best four years of my life in an adequate way? The answer is that I can’t, but I guess I’ll try my best.
It feels most important to first thank my mom for being the one to hear about Sacred Heart, specifically the Dance Program, at a dance competition when I was in high school. If she hadn’t forced me to go on a tour in November of my junior year, who knows where I’d be now.
It’s cliché, but Sacred Heart really did feel like home as soon as I stepped foot on campus. It also helped that my tour guide was a part of the dance program and the Spectrum, both of which became my biggest commitments on campus. From that moment on, no school I saw (virtually – thanks Covid) compared to SHU. My May 1st decision, unlike many of my friends at the time, was extremely easy.
Despite how excited I was about my decision to attend Sacred Heart, that didn’t make my transition into college any easier; it took me a while to find a rhythm here. My roommates definitely made this easier, even if they still make fun of me for doing the same exact morning routine every day. If I could go back to Toussaint 403 and listen to “That Should Be Me” with Carly, Maci and Nellie one more time, I would in a heartbeat (I might even let them put all four beds on one side again).
If you know me, you know I spend more time in the dance studios than anywhere else. I was actually convinced by Brianne, who is now one of my best friends, to join Dance Company and I can’t thank her enough for that. But this wasn’t the case my first semester and I wasn’t sure I belonged in Company.
My first dance class was the Inception Dance Crew audition (our professional track of hip hop), and that was the only dance commitment that I actually wanted to do. It was terrifying, but I made it and I’ll never understand how. I was late to the first rehearsal and cried as I practically ran to the shuttles to meet Jen, who I barely knew at the time but became friends with after bonding over this mistake. It wasn’t my finest moment but the group quickly became very special to me and was one of my favorite parts of college.
As for Company, it wasn’t until an older student who I barely knew at the time asked me to take a dance class off-campus that I started feeling like I fit in. I am eternally grateful to Erin Grace Gibney for inviting me that day and making me feel like I had a space here.
From a trip to Italy to 24 hours in LA to performing on the Edgerton stage at every opportunity, the Dance Company has given me more than I could’ve ever imagined. I am so lucky to have this family who shares my biggest passion so deeply. I will never have an environment like this again, so I cannot thank this program enough for all it’s done for me.
Sophomore year housing selection was probably the worst experience I had at Sacred Heart. But we somehow got lucky in Final Selection and were put in the last room available in North. I would go back to 302 building 3 in a heartbeat, even with the hike it took to get to class sometimes, especially if I could watch Rihanna’s halftime show for the first time again. That unexpected, random suitemate assignment formed friendships that I am eternally grateful for.
Sophomore year is also when I rediscovered my love for journalism. I came in as an undecided major, though I knew I wanted to be in the communications field, and quickly chose Strategic Communication, PR and Advertising after taking Intro to Media Culture. Though I was heavily involved in my high school’s newspaper (my first Editor in Chief experience), I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted to continue in college. I signed up for News Writing and Reporting for my sophomore fall, assuming it would be an easy grade given that I already knew how to write in AP style, and was reminded of how much fun journalism could be. Seeing my first story on the front page of the paper was such a proud moment.
At the end of the semester, Val, my now partner-in-crime on the Spectrum board, was heading to Dingle, Ireland so the news team needed another editor and a copy editor position was open, so I was asked to join the board. A semester of editing, pitching and placing flew by and the next year’s board applications were sent out. This time, I applied for the head news editor position, but was asked to join senior leadership as a managing editor. I was still unsure if I was qualified for that, but Prof. Kabak and Brendan Williams, my Editor in Chief predecessor, had enough faith in me to convince me to say yes.
Junior year came with “Martire Mondays” as my roommates like to call it, spending hours (and sometimes going crazy) in the Spectrum office to complete the layout of the paper each week. Brendan and I had more fun in here than we probably should’ve, at least to get work done quicker, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It was so rewarding seeing our hard work come together each week and I couldn’t be prouder of what Brendan was able to do with the paper in his time as Editor in Chief.
When applications for this year’s Editor in Chief came out last March, I was nervous that Brendan’s shoes were just too big to fill and that I’d never be able to run the paper the way he did, but again Prof. Kabak had the utmost faith in me.
Serving in this role throughout the year alongside the best team of editors has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I could not have done it without each and every one of them and their dedication to this publication. And serving on the Spectrum board for the past 5 semesters has been valuable in every way, thank you to everyone on former boards who trusted me and especially to Prof. Kabak for these opportunities.
Junior year I also became a Student Ambassador (Pioneer Guide at the time) because I wanted to be able to share my love for SHU with prospective and future Pioneers. Though the mornings can be very early and families can be extremely persistent with questions, being able to form connections with students and families who feel the same as I did when I was 17 deciding on Sacred Heart has been so fulfilling.
That same year, I also started living at 640 with a group of girls I barely knew, besides Carly who had been with me since freshman year. The anxiety of trying to join an already-established friend group junior year of college is something I was extremely unprepared for, but am eternally grateful for. They welcomed me with open arms and have loved me unconditionally, even through the hardest parts of college. I can’t imagine having to say goodbye to this house that holds so many memories.
While these moments are all so clear in my brain, it feels like the past four years have been a blur. I could go on and on (and I have) about every single experience and person that has played a role in my journey here at SHU, but I could probably fill the entire paper and then some.
Sacred Heart University has shaped me in more ways than I could’ve ever dreamed of. If you told freshman year me that I’d be so involved on campus that I have virtually no free time, she probably would’ve laughed in your face. And if you told freshman year me about all the people she’d meet and learn to love throughout these past four years, well she probably wouldn’t be surprised about some, but she’d also probably want to meet others sooner just to get some extra time with them. The people really do make the place.
This is getting extremely long but it still feels like there are not enough words or thank you’s in the world to express my gratitude and love for my college experience. I know that I’ll visit more than I should in the next few years and in 20 years, I will be the annoying mom that doesn’t stop talking about how amazing college was for her.
Sacred Heart will always be my home away from home and I will forever be a Pioneer. Thank you to everyone who was part of my Pioneer journey, I hope our paths cross again someday.
