Well this feels weird! A year removed from writing an article, let alone one for The Oracle, and all I can say is what a year it’s been. I, along with the rest of South’s class of 2020, had an unconventional end to our senior year, and I still feel like I haven’t gotten the closure I needed from GBS. I can’t lie to you, I miss it. Although going through my freshman year of college in a global pandemic was not exactly the freshman year I had always been looking forward to, it was definitely a memorable and eye opening one. 

It is hard to be open when you are supposed to be closed down, but if I have any advice for students heading into their college years it is to take advantage of EVERY opportunity you are offered. In a year when there were far fewer opportunities than there should have been, not taking advantage of those few left me feeling lonely and sad. When I finally realized everything I had been missing out on, I found myself happier than I had been and loving college more than I ever had. I noticed that I finally felt I had made the right decision about what school I went to and finally found friends who understood me in my entirety and truly are my “people.” Granted, there will always be stressful and subpar days, but going through those days is worth it for the amazing ones that will come your way.

So, with that said, I have a few pieces of advice: Reach out to the person who sits next to you in class. Attend the meetings for any club you might even remotely be interested in. Join study groups. Go to sports games. Take that class that might be outside of your comfort zone. Meet any and every new person you can (there’s a lot of amazing ones out there). Do your best in school. And always remember that college is the best place to be your truest self. Embrace it and fly.

Sincerely,

Madaket Ciarieri