Caroline Kramer ‘26 and Sophia Mariani ‘26
Features Staff Writer and Chief Copy Editor
There is one thing I (Caroline) believe to be true both at Holy Cross and in the greater world beyond: what is meant for you will not miss you. This common quote reflects the idea that opportunities, relationships, and other life events that are truly aligned with you will arrive at the time they are meant to, without needing to be forced or begged for.
In college, it can be hard to fully grasp this abstract belief as a concrete truth when so many uncertainties fill almost every corner of life. As a first year, you may struggle with it the most: Did I make the right decision by choosing Holy Cross? Who will my friends be? What should I major in? By the time you are a senior, these questions transform into a new shape: Did I accomplish everything I wanted to in college? How will I meaningfully stay in touch with people post-grad? What will my post-grad life even look like? It becomes easy to fall victim to these questions and doubts about the past, the present, and the future all at once — but what has always quelled my worries has been the unrelenting faith in the fact that nothing that is meant for me will pass me by.
As a senior with just a few weeks left until graduation, I am in a perpetual state of reflection no matter how hard I try to act normal about this massive transition. I have come to the confident conclusion that I did, indeed, accomplish everything I wanted to in undergrad, but there would be no successes without a long list of failures alongside them. When circumstances did not play out as intended, I made sure to remind myself of those nine magic words: what is meant for me will not miss me. If something did pass me by — a person, a job, an opportunity, or anything in between — I know it was not meant to sustain a long-term position in my life.
One of my favorite examples of this concept in practice starts with the co-writer of this article, my dear friend Sophia. Freshman year, we were randomly assigned to be roommates, but after some reorganization on ResLife’s end, we ended up with a last-minute switch. I never even got to meet her — until our first day of Montserrat, when we were placed in the same class. From there, we have been best friends ever since, and three years after our initial roommate swap, we became roommates as upperclassmen. And the Montserrat class we took together? That is what led me to declare my double major in sociology, a discipline I would never have considered that massively shaped my academic experience. While this sequence of events may seem minor, it is proof that the seemingly insignificant pieces must align for your life to look the way it does. You might not notice the small pieces when you’re 18 and just beginning, but when you’re suddenly 22 and the end is near, you feel increasingly grateful for them. There are dozens of synchronicities I can pinpoint throughout my college experience, and when all is said and done, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Similarly to Caroline, senior spring has made me (Sophia) especially reflective of my time here on the Hill. At a school as close-knit as Holy Cross’s community, there are countless opportunities to meet people and to get involved in almost anything that is of interest to you. This is a privilege, but also can be overwhelming when deciding what to involve yourself in and when you are searching for friends to spend the next four years of your life alongside. Looking back, one thing that I never regretted during my time here was seizing all of these opportunities presented to me. Whether this was applying for something, taking a class outside of my comfort zone, or introducing myself to a new person, I can now look back and be grateful for the journey that each choice led me to.
Holy Cross tends to foster a culture amongst students of being highly involved on campus. Due to this, I believe many students choose to become more active members of their campus community. Through this, we have a close community here on the Hill of both students and faculty. This also cultivates an inclusive and welcoming environment that I have grown to truly appreciate over four years. I think that this is one of the most special things about our campus, as it truly brings students from all grades and backgrounds together.
As Caroline touched on, we had the potential of being roommates our freshman year, but we did not meet until later on. Because of Montserrat and because of other interests that we shared (such as The Spire) our friendship had the opportunity to blossom later on in our college careers. I credit this to the environment that Holy Cross strives to create by bringing those of similar interests together, beginning in your first year.
With only a few weeks left until graduation, Caroline and I are leaving this campus with a deep appreciation for the Holy Cross community and a newfound sense of trust in the way these four years have played out. We believe that what is meant to find you during your college experience, will ultimately come to you. Though you may be challenged with trusting the process and waiting for clarity to find you, it is part of the experience of being an undergrad. Lastly, we are thankful to our Holy Cross community for teaching us the true meaning of connecting with people with the mission of being people for and with others, as otherwise our paths would never have crossed.
Featured image courtesy of College of the Holy Cross
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