Senior Katie Rayner smiles with Professor Maureen Boyle. Photo courtesy of Katie Rayner.
By Katie Rayner
As someone who usually has a pretty easy time writing, I have been struggling to put the past four years at Stonehill into words. If you had told me freshman year that my senior year I was going to lose a parent, lose my final softball season, and lose the last two months of my senior year, I would have laughed in your face and told you, you were crazy. But here we are. The past four years of my life have been nothing short of a whirlwind. As someone who struggled with being away from home for the first semester, I never would have thought that now when I refer to home, I’m usually talking about Stonehill. Stonehill would not be home without my friends, my teammates, and the amazing community that makes Stonehill what it is.
From O’Hara 045 to New Hall 301, I was lucky enough to spend pretty much every waking moment with two people who are my best friends, and will forever have a lasting impact on my life. Kaz and Carol, from the endless memories in the O’Hara basement, and walking to get pancakes while Carol slept, to sophomore year in BoBo where we added even more laughs, and way too many trips to Bamboo. To Cascino, where we watched too much Pretty Little Liars, and colored the giant Toucan, and battled the washing machines the whole year. To senior year, where Chic-fil-a Thursdays became a staple in our suite, and Soul Cycle became something we all grew to love. When I look back at all the laughter, the memories, eating every meal out, and ALL the money spent, it was all worth it to be able to spend it together.
I also was lucky enough to spend four years playing softball with my two best friends, as well as eighteen other girls who became family. There truly is nobody else I would rather wake up for 6 a.m. practice, or pull the tarp in the dark with. SCSB will forever be my second family.
In high school I had a close bond with many of my teachers, and I never thought I would find that with the Stonehill faculty, but again I was wrong. Maureen Boyle, Katie Currul-Dykeman, Ed Jacoubs, Ron Leone, just to name a few are the reason why Stonehill is as great as it is. Maureen Boyle has probably challenged me and pushed me more than anyone has in my life. She has never doubted my ability, even when I tend to doubt it a lot, and has always told me to work harder. She taught me in my first journalism class to ask the tough questions. And I know deep down she wasn’t just talking about hard news stories. She pushed me to ask tough questions in every aspect of my life, and that's something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Stonehill is a place to grow, and flourish into a better version of yourself. It’s a place to push, and challenge yourself. It’s a place where I learned how not to be afraid of failure, and to work as hard as I could no matter what. It’s a place where “sweet dreams” means I love you, and it’s going to be okay. A place where a simple look or text turns into deep-belly laughter. It’s a place where when you look back you wonder how you ever lived without it. It’s a place that you’ll truly miss when you’re gone. It’s a place I’ll forever call home.
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