I am so excited for my first blog post as a Bryn Mawr Banter Blogger!! (BMBB, I like that!) It is so very exciting to meet you all. Hey, I’m Luciana, you can call me Luci. How ya’ll doing?? Hopefully all is going well and not too bumpy on your first week of classes (whether you’re a freshmen, sophomore, junior, or senior, like myself, the overwhelming feeling is always there!) But that’s ok, right? Because no matter how stressed we might get, there is always that comforting hug of a friend or a pleasant smile of a neighbor right around the corner to get you through. After all, this is bmc we are talking about! And sisterhood is the last thing we are short of.
I was abroad last semester and I really felt this difference. I had been spoiled by having such amazing people around me at Bryn Mawr, and when I was in France it took me a while to realize that the real world didn’t necessarily share that same fluffy feeling. I had a wonderful time abroad, but at the same time I cannot express how thrilled I am to be back!
My behavior this week can be compared to that of a popping corn seed in the microwave. All during my flight over here I was burning with excitement, only to arrive on campus and– POP! I was so anxious to reunite with my friends, who I hadn’t seen for 8 months (5 from studying abroad, and 3 from the summer). How did I survive? It was too many feelings for one person alone: I was like the pink energizer bunny all week. Talking non-stop while dancing and singing and spazzing all at the same time. Oh, the wonderful feeling of returning to campus and knowing that nothing has changed, even as a senior. I mean, ok, maybe that’s not entiiiirely true (I did learn some important things here and there and did make some important changes) but the essence of returning, that freshness of going back to school, is still there! And it was just wonderful to walk on campus, after 8 months, and feel like I hadn’t left at all. After all, I was coming back home.
The feeling only intensified as convocation came along. It was rainy, it was sunny, then it was rainy, and then sunny again. It was as though the weather was right in tune with my feelings. Nostalgia of what was, and trying to let go of that past, fought constantly with excitement of what will be, of facing what was once a distant future that is quickly becoming the present.The transition between those clueless undergraduate years to (you might imagine, a mastered undergraduate year? oh no, hardly), but rather still clueless senior year (even as a senior, you are still trying to figure things out, and that’s ok!) was finally about to happen. Even as clueless as ever, when you arrive at senior year I believe you learn that in fact, we will always be clueless creatures in this peculiar world. We never know everything. We do know some things, that maybe we didn’t even know before, but there will always be something with a potential to be explored. There will always be so much “mawr” to see. The difference is you learn how to be ok with not knowing. The “wisdom” you acquire over the previous 3 years teaches you how to feel reassured despite this lack of control. You learn to let go! (Oh dear, I sure hope I didn’t miss this “How to pick up some good wisdom” class).
All jokes aside, it just felt really good walking into Goodhart as a senior, strolling along with my classmates and greeting friends in the aisles. Having my professors there acknowledging this rite of passage, as well the president of our school, Jane McAuliffe, just made everything more real. I was inspired by many of their speeches, and felt, once again, so proud of my school. So proud of my classmates, some of which have become so dear to my heart, and who I respect so much. I was filled with joy, content, and satisfaction of being where I was. A moment that represented how much I had traveled but at the same time how much “mawr” there was to explore. I felt ready for all the challenges ahead of me. But most of all, I was ready to stand by my classmates, my friends, throughout not only the bad but the good that awaits us in this very important year to come. More important than what happens is who is traveling with us in this long journey. And who walks with us toward the sunset. With cheesy music on the background. Haha! ok, that last part might have been playing around with it a little bit, but what’s life without a bit of humor? I truly believe that comedy is a blessing. So hopefully you will get not only “useful” information, but also some good laughs out of this blog!
Week 1: I can say it has ended with much success (did anybody else notice it started out really rainy and finished with beautiful sunny days? It’s hope people, hope). I am once again very happy to have written my first post, on this dear bmc blog (I think i need to name it, right? After all, it will be like a friend to me! How about….BAB? BAB=BloggingAboutBryn…or GLO=GottaLoveOwls…or even, Bryncess Mawreen?? Ok, I know, I know…it’s a work in progress! How about this: I’ll do some more reflecting and I will let you all know? Feel free to make suggestions or vote on any of these choices!)
I hope you all have a wonderful week, and looking forward to seeing you all next time!
Love, Luci