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For Fools

When I was younger, I was kind of the class clown, always trying to get the class to laugh and doing my quirky thang. However, after I was hit with the classic: “yeah…so you’re no longer cool, so we aren’t friends anymore” bit right before high school, I stopped embracing my foolish side.

 

First Foolsapalooza

 

I came to Holy Cross super shy, super quiet, and super uncomfortable with the idea of making a fool of myself. I tried to be this picture perfect version of myself who made no mistakes and never tripped up the stairs.

One day during my first year here, I was idly painting a clay bowl at a weekend event (let’s bring this back, yes?) and having a very normal conversation with the people sitting at my table. A sophomore guy I had never met before was sitting across from me and he kind of tilted his head as I spoke.

So, naturally, I froze. And then I freaked. I had done all the right things! I had barely talked the entire time, had nodded appropriately, and even smiled when warranted. Why was he staring at me?!

“Do you sing? You sound like you can sing, like an Alicia Keys kind of vibe. You should audition for Fools On The Hill,” he said.

 

Second Foolsapalooza

 

I kind of blacked out from there, because the entire conversation was making me very anxious and I knew I was no Alicia Keys! However, I agreed to audition, thinking that he would forget and I would continue blending in on campus. A week later, though, I saw him in the cafeteria and he told me he couldn’t wait to see me at my audition time.

So, I auditioned. Then, I got in.

 

Third Foolsapalooza with these beautiful ladies who became beautiful friends

 

And I slowly remembered how FREEING it is to be FOOLISH. Fools On The Hill was filled with loving, hilarious, talented human beings who made me feel valued every day. We all shared foolish facts about ourselves, without judgement! We sang at the top of our lungs and voice cracks were welcomed! It was refreshing, cleansing even. I remembered that I didn’t have to be wholly put together all the time, that my faults came together to make me who I am.

Cliche? Maybe. But beautiful, nonetheless.

So thank you to this wonderful group, to each and every member over the past four years, for reminding me that it is not foolish to love yourself.

 

Fourth and Final Foolsapalooza

 

 

 

 

heart & soul

 

 

 

 

My niece and nephew said they enjoyed the show!

 

 

 

Made some of my closest friends in this group (Lauren Carey ’19)

 

 

 

Friends from home came for my last show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOOLS Alum also came back — Jackie (’17) was one of the first friends I made.

 

 

 

One of our flyers from my sophomore year

 

 

Will always reflect on our Christmas shows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The a cappella battle is one of my first and fondest memories at Holy Cross

 

 

 

Fools Family

 

 

 

 

Thank you.
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Springin’ in the Rain

Spring Weekend came and went with the help of a week full of rain! I must say that though the weather wasn’t as sunny as my first year or as humid as last year, this year’s Spring Weekend was still great. Our Spring Concert opened with the winners of this year’s Battle of the Bands, The Nate Chung Project. They were followed by Timeflies and T-Pain. The concert was full and fun, with Timeflies even improvising about Holy Cross and T-Pain singing his heart out. Inflatables, food trucks, and other Campus Activity Board (CAB) events. That ended the first night of Spring Weekend.

Saturday was full of events, like the Easy Street Fair, fireworks, and the Outdoor Edge, which is a campus wide dance that happens twice a year. The fair is hosted by the CAB and the House Council’s of each building — little stations stand in front of each building and students can feel free to stop by each one. There is often caricatures, inflatables, fried Oreos, and more. The fireworks are my favorite event, because it’s adorable to see everyone snuggled next to their best friends on blankets or gazing up at the sky. The Outdoor Edge, however, is probably the most attended and most exciting.

 

On Monday, the club Developing and Educating South Asian Ideologies (DESI) puts on the Holi Festival, which is also known as the festival of colors. Later at night the Kimball Carnival takes place, where fried dough, carnival rides and games are free to all. Though it was rainy, many still made it to enjoy the last day of Spring Weekend.

 

So, the blog take-away is: College can be fun. Or at least, it can be really fun right before we start finals. The fried dough makes it all worth it, right? 

 

 
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Foolsapalooza 2017

This is my third year being in “Fools on the Hill” and each year being in the group just gets better. We had our annual big campus event Foolsapalooza last Saturday and it was so beautiful. Our group selected some songs we did this semester and other groups (The Delilahs, Off the Record, and WPI’s Technichords) performed a collection of their songs as well. Every year, we also vote on a specific charity we want to send our donations to and this year I recommended a charity my sister and I began about five years ago. The charity raises money for the Cove Basic School in Clarendon, Jamaica. This was actually the elementary school my mother attended as a little girl and we have been in the process of rebuilding the two-room school. Each year we go down to Jamaica and bring them school supplies, Christmas gifts, games, and the funds to start renovation.

 

happy. friends. smiles. hugs. laughter. love.

 

 

me, my mother, and my older sister

 

It was amazing having my family come up to see me perform with the a cappella group that has helped me grow so much at Holy Cross. It was even more amazing having such lovely support from the Fools, who are so immensely talented and brilliant. Each year I feel that we grow closer and closer, though each year I do shed real tears when the seniors graduate. However, next year I’ll be one of those graduating…

That’s for another post.

 

 

a group picture we took at the end!

 

So, the blog take-away is: Holy Cross has some awesome organizations and some awesome people in those organizations. I can definitely find a group that I feel comfortable in if I come to Holy Cross, a group that both challenges and excites me. 
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Little Shop of Horrors

Don’t feed the plants.

In other words, College of the Holy Cross’ Alternate College Theater (ACT) put on a production the 80s musical, Little Shop of Horrors. The unique thing about this year’s musical is that it was directed by 2015 alum Julia McCarthy, who previously directed a musical her senior year. Click HERE to read more about Julia and the production.

Every year, the college presents wonderful productions of both plays and musicals. Recently, they have put on “Middletown” and before that “Hamlet” and “Chicago.” ACT also has smaller, more improv-heavy events like Midnight Theater or The Festival of One Acts. Here are some photos from Little Shop below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have always loved musical theater and always wanted to do it here on the hill, but I knew I didn’t have the time to balance everything. However, eventually, I kind of just decided to do it anyway and I’m so, so, so glad I did. Sure, there were many late-nights (and forgotten meals), but the outcome was more than I could’ve hoped for. The cast, crew, and band were all so amazing and I am forever grateful for Little Shop. 

So, the blog take-away is: I should follow Nike and just do it — that “it” could be trying out for a club sports team, joining an organization, talking to the cute guy in my Bio class, or even quitting the activity I’m no longer interested in. During my time here on the hill, I should aim to do what is both feasible and fun, but ultimately allowing myself to do what makes me happy. 
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Lots to Do

Hey, guys!

So today’s blog post is going to be about, well, a lot of things. This week has been quite interesting up here on the Hill. It was as if every event was happening at the same time. In order to organize my thoughts, I’m just going to give you a list of the many happenings here on campus.

1. Dr. Seuss. Our Dr. Seuss celebration! Today we honored the great author Dr. Seuss, one of my favorite authors (“Greens Eggs and Ham,” “Cat in the Hat,” “Horton Hears A Who,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” anyone)? They had a small display in one of our campus buildings, passing out Swedish fish and assorted fruit made to look like elements from some of Dr. Seuss’ tales.

2. Friendliness. That is something so salient here at Holy Cross. On my way to my last Friday class, I passed four friends. It felt almost surreal saying hi that many times, but that’s how it is here. You will often bump into people you know. Then, after class, I overheard a student giving a confused-looking father and son directions. Holy Cross, everybody.

3. Windows. You’re probably wondering what this one will be about. Well, here at Holy Cross, we like to advertise events on the large Hogan 1 windows. It’s a very intensive process, because one has to write everything backwards. Thankfully, I had my friend Michelle there to help me. Basically, she did the bottom, better half of the window. All I can say is: tears were shed.

4. HUNGER GAMES. That’s right. You heard me. Have you ever dreamed of being a part of the Hunger Games? That dream is becoming a reality here in Wheeler. The entire dorm will be participating in a District 12 version of Assassin. It’s a widely popular event on the campus. Only one will survive. May the odds be ever in your favor?

So, the blog take-away is: Holy Cross has amazing events, as well as amazing students. Also, the Hunger Games. Need I say anything else? 

Pictures below: 1) The assorted Dr. Seuss items. 2) Cat in the Hat treats (made of strawberries and bananas). 3) Swedish Fish in memory of “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.” 4) Dr. Seuss FOOD! 5) Cat in the Hat Cookies! 5) Our CASA Culture Night window, feat. fellow First-Year CASA Intern Linda.

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The Truth about Holy Cross

Hi, everyone!

Welcome to my blog. If you’re reading this and thinking about coming to Holy Cross, you truly need to read no further – apply. I can honestly say I feel completely at home here. Not only have I made fantastic friends, but I’ve already learned so much. I will risk sounding cliché and say that I truly feel Holy Cross is the perfect college for me.

Okay, I admit that was a pretty quintessential blog beginning, but it’s true! However, you probably want more specifics. Like, what’s the food like? Are there any cool organizations? Will I have any time to sleep or will homework consume my life? Never fear. I have the answers. Granted they may be “freshman” answers, but they are answers none the less. Here is the truth about Holy Cross.

First, the food is quite amazing (I went a little overboard with the curly fries my first week). Don’t worry, though. I’ve heard from many that the “Freshman Fifteen” doesn’t really exist here, which you’ll learn after conquering the everlasting Dinand staircase.

Second, there are so many interesting organizations on campus. Honestly, I felt a bit overwhelmed trying to choose which ones I wanted to join. I feel so comfortable here that I knew I would enjoy being a part of anything Holy Cross has to offer. As of now, I am in a coed a cappella group, in the Caribbean African Student Assemblage (CASA), and I sing during the Inter-Denominational services on Sundays.

Needless to say, I am quite busy at times. Does she even have time for homework? 

The answer is yes. I won’t lie and say the courses are easy or that the workload is light, but it is possible to stay on top of things. Manage your time wisely (and take breaks – they are essential), and I’m sure you will be fine.

That’s it for my first post. I truly hope this was helpful. Talk to you soon!