In my senior IDC (taught by the lovely Julie Armstrong-Binnix) our first assignment of the year was to write a 3-5 page paper on our time here at Bellarmine. It was really an enlightening assignment so I figured I would post my paper here

I haven’t really taken the time to reflect on my Bellarmine experience – typically I am running around keeping myself busy balancing everything, so I haven’t actually looked back at my time here. Reflecting back though, it is remarkable how much I have changed. A lot of people talk about how college is a critical point in your life and how you’ll make memories and friends that will last a life time. As a twenty something and always receiving advice from older people, it is easy to neglect their words of wisdom and instead view them as one of those cautionary tales your parents used to tell you when you were younger, like “don’t make a funny face like that or it will get stuck that way.” While my face never got stuck in a funny position, they were right about college. It was a life changing experience, I have made memories and friends that I will never forget and it went by WAY too fast.

When I arrived at Bellarmine as a freshman I didn’t know what to expect. I was hundreds of miles away from home, in a city I knew nothing about without any friends or family. However, I don’t actually remember being scared. I think if anything I was excited at the new adventure that lay before me. A few hours into the Crossroads experience though I realized there were some distinct differences between the Northwest suburbs of Chicago and the state of Kentucky. For example, when I would ask people where they were from they would say their county instead of their town or geographical location. At first I just thought there were a lot of towns with strange names until I realized the trend (forgive me for being a naïve 18-year-old). Also, people would tell me what high school they went to. I still don’t fully understand the high school competitiveness deal that extends throughout a person’s lifetime but I’ve learned embrace it. As they say, “when in Rome…”

Another thing that threw me off guard at Crossroads was the food, particularly the concept of biscuits and gravy. I’m not sure how, but I managed to go through my life up until Bellarmine without ever encountering the dish, so when I saw a tray of white stuff next to biscuits I was (justifiably) confused. I remember asking someone what it was and they kind of laughed and explained. I did get some heat for not knowing the delicacy of biscuits and gravy and I was playfully teased as being the “girl who didn’t know what gravy was,” but oh well, life lessons.

In regards my journey at Bellarmine I feel like I did experience a metamorphosis of sorts. I don’t think much has changed in terms of “Ailise as a student” but I think a great deal of change has occurred in regards to “Ailise as a person”. Throughout my four years here I have pretty much stuck with the same study techniques that I started with. I tend to be very focused on the task at hand and I make sure that I plan accordingly in order to accomplish my goals (which is the main reason I am able to graduate with a double major/double minor on time and I only had to take 24 hours my senior year).

I feel like the most impactful experiences I had were the ones that were uncomfortable or adverse situations. For example, I attended a retreat with the Brown Scholars where I helped catch then slaughter a rooster. It was a bit scaring and I couldn’t eat any poultry for a couple months afterwards but it made me more appreciative of life and how everything is connect to one another. Never before had I seen an animal that humans use for food die. It was really eye opening experience.

While there have been defining moments for me during my time here at Bellarmine, I feel like the entire Bellarmine experience has influenced me. It has exposed me to situations and events I never thought I would encounter. I have been able to form strong relationships with my peers as well as my teachers. When I first started here, I felt out of place and confused, however now I consider Louisville to be my home and the people at Bellarmine my family. I have no idea the person I would be if I didn’t attend Bellarmine. Sometimes I contemplate what would have happened if I didn’t come here and I realize how many great opportunities, experiences and friends I would have missed out on.

Looking back, it makes me think about one of my favorite articles which was published in the Chicago Tribune over a decade ago. The title of the piece really sums the whole thing up, “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.” This article actually went on to be a somewhat popular song “Everybody’s Free (to wear sunscreen)” by Baz Luhrman.  Truth be told, I heard that song when I was in middle school and similar to the advice about college I brushed it off as inconsequential to my position in life. As I’ve matured though, I’ve realized the significance, and while some people may think that advice and youth are wasted on the young, I wholeheartedly disagree. While I may not have followed all the advice I was given and I made some mistakes along the way I feel like I have taken a lot away from each experience I have had. If everyone followed someone else’s advice no one would learn or grow.

What are some of your favorite memories from Bellarmine?