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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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October Owls

Seriously, whooo would’ve believed September would fly by fast?

Well, actually, I did. As mentioned in probably every blog post before this, my time at Holy Cross has indeed flown by like an owl flying to catch its prey (prey, in our sense here, is graduation). Not only are we in the second month of the school year, but Homecoming has already passed as well. Yes, Homecoming, when all my once senior friends return and indirectly remind me that my time at Holy Cross is nearing its inevitable end.

The Wheeler Resident Assistant Staff from two years ago is still obsessed with each other. Here some of us are reuniting.

 

However, it’s not all bitter. As you may have guessed, it’s bittersweet. I’ve already made so many wonderful senior memories in my classes, in Figge, and in different departments. People often make senior year the year of “yes.” People fear missing out, so they say yes to every and any event. My approach is slightly different, but with the same sentiment. Whether it’s going to a professor’s Office Hours for either help or just to catch up or heading out to Boston for a Girls Day with my closest friends, I’ve decided to only say yes to things my soul feels absolutely content with.

 

 

Reading a beautiful poem entitled “A Flor e a Náusea,” meaning “The Flower and the Nausea” for the Holy Cross Fossil Free organization. I love attending events I find empowering and essential and I was honored to read at such a special event.
Taken by Anthony Saltarelli ’18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking time to stop and reunite with friends I haven’t seen in a while. This was a glorious day and definitely made my soul happy. Ran into so many lovelies.

 

 

My sister and a friend of mine flew down to Atlanta for a weekend for a surprise engagement. My soul knew I’d want to be there, even though I still very much had a lot of homework due for when I got back. This is a picture of priorities in action, as my sister and my friend headed out for the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turns out my soul likes to do a lot of things at night. I’ve always been a night owl, but it’s reached a whole new level during my time at Holy Cross. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good sleep, but I also love being able to have a full, meaningful day (even if that means having a late, late night of work). Holy Cross has always reminded me to see and find God in all things, so even though my schedules can be beyond packed, I can dissect the day to find little moments of peace and contentment. I have no doubt that this ability to discern what I need from what I want, what I think from what I feel, and so on will help me in the long run. Throughout my time on the hill and especially as a senior, I’ve learned that being intentional with my actions can only ever be beneficial.

 

 
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May & June

Because the last semester runs to into the summer, May is included in these summer stories. May is the month of both “ugh, final exams” and “ah, it’s finally summer!” This past May was one of the most stressful months of my life and collegiate career, but it was also one of the most eventful. As soon as I got home, my sister reminded me that we had booked a flight to Atlanta…for the next day.

A couple of my friends, my sister, and I went down to Georgia to visit family friends who had moved away. That first night back home, after having unpacked my entire Wheeler dorm for the last time, the last thing I wanted to do was start packing once again. Needless to say, I was not the happiest waking up for that early morning flight.

However, this trip was beyond amazing. Not only did I get to de-stress from quite a grilling and hard semester, but I also got to catch up with my friends from home and explore the beautiful Atlanta. We went to a bunch of different restaurants, reminisced about our childhoods, and even rode bikes at night (I fell a total of three times). It was the trip I didn’t know I needed.

 

My sister and I with our friends in Atlanta. <3

About two weeks after that, my sister, mother and I traveled down to Jamaica to visit the elementary school we had adopted over five years ago. We have been raising money for the Cove Basic School since my sophomore year of high school and this summer a brand new school building is being made! The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place in August and we are beyond excited for the children to starting learning and growing in their new school! You can follow our efforts on by clicking on the picture of the students below!

 

The kids of the Cove Basic School in Clarendon Jamaica
We also visited family during the trip. It was wonderful to see my aunt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, in July, I am working at the summer camp I have worked at for the past two years. I work with 8-12 year old girls and our goal this summer is to encourage female empowerment. Both my counselor and I realize these are the ages where bullying, negative self-image, and other adolescent problems arise. We want to do our best to give them the most enjoyable and empowering summer of 2017. It’s already a packed summer, but that just means more memories.
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Senior Summer

Weird.

Next year I’ll be a senior. The majority of my friends will be seniors. I have been blogging since my first year, so those memories are documented and dear to my heart. This senior year, however, is probably going to go by faster than the past three. So, I thought I’d start blogging about it earlier — now, in the summer.

Packing up my belongings in Wheeler was not only other-worldly, it was also bittersweet. Living in a first-year building for three years is rare and people always questioned how I did it. The truth is, it was amazing. It is true that first year RAs have to do a lot, that some nights are crazy loud, and the halls aren’t always the cleanest. However, there is always a sense of joy and the great future of possibilities in those buildings. For most of its residents, that building represents the start of their college career! I got to experience that fresh-faced, beautiful atmosphere three times in a row. I count that as a blessing. Three years on the third floor of Wheeler could not have been more perfect.

Next year, I’ll be living in Figge, one of the senior apartments. I’ll finally be living with my grade again, with my friends down the hall and my peers all around me. It’ll be a transition, seeing as I’ve only ever worked as an RA for first years. However, our Figge staff is fantastic. Though the building will be full of different kind of atmosphere, that same sense of joy and future of possibilities will still surround me — just in an alternative way. I mean, we’re starting the next chapters of our lives in Figge. I can’t even imagine how strange and wonderful it’ll all be.

So this summer, as I snapchat those returning from abroad and those departing for it, as I cry-laughing texting those who I’ll be seeing every day come September, and as I tearfully (and repeatedly) say goodbye to those who have finished their last year on the Hill, I’ll keep this blog updated. Holy Cross gave me memories and family for a lifetime; it feels only right that I share these sentiments with those thinking of coming here as well.