By Tara Stanzione | Co-Editor-In-Chief
Since the second semester of my senior year seems to be soaring by, I figured that I would stop for a moment to reflect on everything that I appreciate, while I still can. Being a college student at Salve Regina University has given me so much to be thankful for, and I know that after graduation I will miss being here greatly. After talking to the seniors for this article, I’ve realized what most of us will miss the most is the extraordinary sense of community.
1. The Salve Community
“I love the Salve openness and genuine-nature of the entire Salve community,” Katy Butterfield, Elementary Education and Special Education major, said.
“From the part-time w
orker, to the full-time faculty and students, I have never met so many friendly and genuine faces. What I will miss the most about Salve is the sense of belonging to a community that is genuinely concerned with supporting others. I think that one of the elements that separates Salve from other communities is that, as a whole, we seek ways to act selflessly and challenge each other to do the same,” Butterfield said.
It’s hard to put into words how strong the Salve community is and how much being at this University builds friendships, strengthens bonds, and provides students with a place that they are always welcome. I have never been anywhere else where everyone holds the door open for each other–even if it’s raining, or can turn to the person next to them in the Miley ice cream line to discuss something, without ever meeting the person before.
“Just about every student I’ve met on campus is wicked friendly and outgoing. No one makes you feel ‘unpopular’ or like you don’t matter,” Dan O’Brien, Biology Major, said.
2. The Caring Professors
“I know it’s cliché, but between the students and professors, it really feels like Salve is one big family. I haven’t met a professor that doesn’t genuinely care about you, not only as a student, but as a person. Even if I’m talking to a professor in a completely different field of study, they seem to genuinely care about my goals and passions,” O’Brien said.
The caring nature of the professors here never ceases to amaze me. I’ve had professors help me with resumes, talk to me for hours outside of class, and ask me for advice about courses I’ve taken in the past. I know that if I needed any help with anything, even something completely unrelated to school, so many professors would be there to advise me. That’s a humbling feeling. The professors that teach at Salve truly care about the well-being of their students, and it shows. They treat students as adults, are there for those who ask for extra help, and sometimes teach a portion of their classes outside by the water to help make class more enjoyable.
3. The Beautiful Atmosphere
“I’ll miss the ocean and sunsets the most,” Viviana Torres, Administration of Justice major, said.
“The ocean has always been my safe place. Other people always feel really overwhelmed by how big it is, but something about how big and unknown it is makes me feel safe. I suppose I really love sunsets because I’ve watched them with a lot of meaningful people in my life. Of course, that’s strengthened by the fact that Newport has the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen,” Torres said.
The beauty that constantly surrounds students at Salve is truly extraordinary. In the summer or in the winter, Newport is a mystical place to be whether that is on the cliff walk watching a sunrise, shopping downtown, or in class inside of a mansion.
“Salve was the first school I looked at and once I saw the ocean and Newport as a whole, I was hooked. No other school even came close,” Cassidy Rota, English Communications major, said.
“I really love our campus and knowing I was a part of something here. I’ll miss always knowing I’ll see a familiar face no matter where I am,” Rota said.
4. The Friendships Made Here
Being in a small college, where most of my friends are, is a magical thing. Where else will I be able to go in life where twenty of my closest friends can meet up at the same place to eat all within ten minutes?
While the friendships I’ve made at the University will continue throughout my life, seeing the people I’ve bonded this closely with will be much harder in the future since the classes we used to study for together and the clubs we used to meet in will no longer be a part of our lives.
5. The Clubs & Activities
“I’m going to miss singing in chorus and participating in SRU dance,” Julia Casberg, Secondary Education and English major, said.
“Both groups have created warm and welcoming environments. I’ll miss singing and dancing because they feed into my music obsession. Singing and dancing are ways to celebrate music that has been created and create a sense of community between people that could otherwise be strangers,” Casberg said.
It is nostalgic to think about the clubs and activities that I am involved in. I know that everything I have worked toward means something, but soon I will no longer be able to be a part of it–and that’s bittersweet. I’ll miss singing in the choir, running Willow and Mosaic meetings, planning hashtag competitions and being a part of a group that loves the same things that I do.
“I’ll miss everything!” Celina Rodriguez, Elementary and Special Education major, said.
“I will miss being an Orientation Leader – my favorite summer job ever, living with my roommate, Mellie Prunier, and the sweet butter at Miley’s Thanksgiving dinner,” Rodriguez said.
6. The Miley Cafeteria Food
While whipped sweet butter may not be too high on the list of things that I’ll miss, I will always remember waiting every year for the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner to get my fill of it. One of the main reasons I get out of bed on Sunday is to get multiple plates of French toast sticks and maple syrup.
I’ll also miss not having to make food. When I lived on campus in the summer I lived off of Ramen noodles and pasta sides. Not being able to walk downstairs to choose between over 30 different drinks and 8 different types of cereal at any given moment is definitely going to be a transition. But, to be honest, the thing I’ll miss most about going to the cafeteria is knowing I’ll be able to talk to at least 20 people I know while I’m there.
“I will miss the people who make the school what it is greatly, but I know Salve will always be home no matter where life takes me!” Ellen Gensicki, Political Science major, said.
“I will miss seeing the sunrise on the Cliff Walk during 6 a.m. workouts with the ROTC program and talking to Patty every day at breakfast. I’ll miss going to football and basketball games and cheering on some of my best friends as they play. I’ll miss competing in track meets with really talented team mates. I’ll miss being an RA on campus and having the best and most supportive pro-staff and RA family… And I will definitely miss living in an old mansion as a residence hall!” Gensicki said.
7. The Feeling Of Being A RA
Like Ellen, I will truly miss being a RA. Being a RA is literally part of my name, my nature, and who I am. I love being the person a freshman resident goes to when they need help with something. I love advising students about classes, clubs, family, friends, conflicts, and so on. Being a freshmen RA for three years has taught me a lot about myself, and I’ll miss having residents that rely on me. I’ll miss the 2 a.m. talks about boys, the icebreakers no one admits they secretly enjoy, and hanging out with my residents while I’m on duty.
I’ll miss saying, “Hi” to Dean Malcolm Smith in the cafeteria, and walking to Res Life to get construction paper for door decs. I’ll miss being able to quickly mix orange juice and cranberry juice in the morning to go with the peanut butter and jelly bagels I make. I’ll miss some of my closest friends who are younger than I am.
And, most of all, I’ll miss being able to call Salve home.
