So Much has Changed…
Samantha Strub
MSM Class of 2013
(5/2012) I look at the freshmen lying out on the quad, and my mind floats away to another world where I had time to lie out on the grass and in the sunshine. Between all of the running from West Frederick Middle School to the Mount and back again every day, along with my job, homework and lesson planning, there is no time to sleep, much less lie out
enjoying the sunshine. I can’t help but get lost in the memories over the past three years. Once I realize that I have been at the Mount for three years and have all those precious memories, I’m struck by how fast time has flown by and how much has changed…
I can easily remember shaking with nervous excitement as I brought bag after bag into my new room in Sheridan Hall on move-in day freshman year. I remember not believing that I was done with high school and that I was really in college. I couldn’t imagine living on my own, but my concerns were more about wondering if I would be able to get out of bed
on time to get to class without my mom coming to wake me up. Freshman year was about meeting new people and enjoying the social life of constantly staying up until 2 a.m., doing absolutely nothing or doing a paper that was due the next morning. It was a whole new experience of being responsible for myself and not having anyone tell me what I had to do. I was free to make my
own decisions and go where I wanted when I wanted to go there.
Sophomore year brought new responsibilities and lessons to be learned. I still loved the independence that I had at college. The summer after freshman year brought about fights with my parents about where I was going and how late I was out. They had no idea that at college I’m out so much later…I had to adjust to living with rules and guidelines after
not having them for a year. Once I adjusted, I had a much more relaxing summer, but I couldn’t wait to get back to the Mount. Once there, things became a little busier. Classes became a new challenge as they started to be more focused on my major, though I loved the challenge because I was finally taking courses that I was actually really interested in. I still had some
difficultly with some of the core classes, which now have all changed into the Veritus program. Too bad that wasn’t in place when first came here; I could have possibly had a higher GPA. Everything happens for a reason though; I’m a well-rounded person now because of the core. I became more involved in extracurricular activities like the Mount Ambassador, field hockey, and
Big Sister programs, and I worked a lot more. I felt that I had better control over my life, as everything was going well with new opportunities that I never expected. Looking back, I can see it was my know-it-all sophomore mentality because I was not prepared for what was coming the following year.
As I rush past the freshmen lying in the grass without a care in the world, I’m professionally dressed, thinking about my middle schoolers. I realize that in my junior year I have a completely different mindset than I did the past two years. Though I still struggle with getting out of bed in the morning—I don’t think that will ever go away—I realize
that I have grown into a different person. I’m not concerned about all of the pointless drama that seemed to run my life when I wasn’t doing coursework. I’m done that that immature mentality. I’m worried about my friends and the people that truly matter in life. I’m worrying about my students, making sure that I’m teaching them in a way that will be beneficial for them. I
always seem to be looking for ways that will explain concepts to them in the best way possible. My teacher mentality has gotten so bad that I couldn’t even read and watch The Hunger Games without my teacher eye coming out. I made the connections between the plot of the novel, real life and the practical and moral lessons that develop throughout the novel. Such as, the
dramatic contrast between the ways that the controlling society (Gamemakers) see themselves to how we have an idealistic view of ourselves and the values that we hold in high regard. It is a different perspective that I still need to get used to, but I guess that means I chose the correct career. I’m a different person with my teacher- mentality perspective.
The roller coaster that I have been on has taught me that life will constantly change and I just have to learn to have the "serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." Life will constantly throw new challenges and obstacles in your face, and you just have you learn
to roll with the punches. I have different priorities in life now than I did even just a year ago. One such example is, knowing that I have to focus more on academics’ and my internship instead of participating as much in my extracurricular activities field hockey and horse-back-riding. It is all a part of life’s roller coaster that we have been blessed to be on. I realized
that though I still constantly worry about everything and wonder if I will ever be able to get everything done on time, that these things are not the memories that I will think of first. When you look back on your college experience, or any experience for that matter, you remember the priceless moments, whether they are serious or completely ridiculous. It is about the times
you stayed up all night watching movies, playing cards, and being insane. It is about finally experiencing something that you have only ever dreamed of. Those are the things that will take you back down memory lane.
I look back over my years at the Mount and can’t help but realize how far we have come…and how much things have changed along the way. I’m almost done with my junior year of college… I only have two semesters left…Yikes! Where did the time go? Well…let’s make it count!
Senior year…gulp…deep breath…here we go….
Read past editions of Samantha Strub's Four Years at the Mount
