It’s all been a balancing act. Throughout my freshman year at college, I had to adjust to life in the dorms, all the new people that surrounded me, exploring my new city, finding alternative ways to study and properly manage my time. Despite some minor setbacks, I was thriving amidst it all. I was more content with my intellectual, social, and spiritual progress than I had ever been in my life. When I finally returned home for winter break, I was flooded with the very general and inevitable questions – “Tell me about college. How do you like it?” Every time I replied to this question, I found myself raving about how much I really loved school. It felt kind of weird, but also good.
That being said, alas, nothing is perfect. I struggled to find or consistently stay involved in productive extracurricular activities. When I was telling people about my experience at Fordham, I felt like this was the area of my experience where I always fell short. In fairness, I was pretty overwhelmed by the sizable adjustment to college in New York. Even so, I did genuinely want to be involved on campus. So when one of my friends told me about this service-learning class, while I was studying abroad in London over the summer, I eagerly signed up. Food for Thought was a class that involved service as a required component provided me with the structure I needed.
As it turns out, sophomore fall was one of the hardest semesters at Fordham. It was not only challenging academically, but emotionally. I struggled to show up to most of my commitments on time and prepared. My head was always in another place, I was sorting through everything in my mind constantly, focusing often seemed impossible. Yet, when I showed up to WSCAH or our class meetings I felt grounded. I was engaged and I felt like I was doing something productive outside of myself. At WSCAH, all I had to do is show up and be present and kind. In class, I enjoyed the time we spent reflecting on our life experiences, time at WSCAH, and readings. Both environments, although very different, were cozy and welcoming. In a sense, they have made New York feel like a true home for me. This small class and the community at WSCAH was exactly what I needed in the midst of my otherwise chaotic semester.
