2009-05-28
LateNight Advice to Future Grads
After experiencing commencement and second reunion weekends as an ‘09 graduate, I’m in my childhood house for a week, on a very strange sleep schedule, unpacking and repacking for the move to grad school in a new state. The birds have started chirping outside my window, and because facebook is the easiest method of using up early morning quiet time, I couldn’t help but muse over pictures and stories from the last year or two.
At dinner last night, my best friend’s father (who is also a father to me) asked me how I felt about my undergraduate experience. One of those big fluffy questions where no answer is wrong but no answer is right. I went on about how I did well academically, wish I’d done a little better, yadda yadda.
When I look at the past four years, it isn’t quite about the academics. Working with my supervisors in the campus center during leadership dialogues, they talked about the hierarchy of Smith. It’s taken until now to realize how right they were.
First-years are eager, nervous, ready to jump in. I headed a 60 student org as a first year, took on classes I hated and learned which ones I liked.
Sophomores rule the school. I headed the chorus for a second year. I was HONS in my house. Some of my best friends are the first-years who studied every night in my room. I co-directed my a cappella group. I finished up my STRIDE scholarship.
Juniors on campus are trucking along, still involved and learning from the seniors, but becoming role models for the underclassmen. I was the business manager of my a cappella group, a devoted member of the glee club. I continued to make connections with my faculty. I began work at the campus center.
Seniors are on their way out. They’re leaders, but not THE leaders. They’re making the way for the underclassmen. I headed the Glee Club, directed Groove, and was a Campus Center Manager. I was a leader, but looking back now, I realize how much of that time was spent working with those who’d take on my position, empowering them to act now rather than just later.
Smith was about what I learned about me and the people around me. Smith is about the connections I made with peers, faculty and staff. Smith is about the future. I will be proud of my performance in Peter Bloom’s Wagner and Berlioz seminar, but I will always smile because of my time in CC 106 or Sweeney Concert Hall. I look forward to my graduate internship at CCSU with excitement that could only be preceded by my Smith experience.
All this to say, work hard but have fun. Smithies are smart. We get our work done. But Smith, and all else, is about the journey. “It takes a lot of butterflies to make a world full of flowers.” It all works out somehow, so enjoy it.
Signing off,
ferserious,
EAM, ‘09