To me, Guilford is more than a physical place. It is a state of mind. When I was a student, this state of mind took many different shapes depending on the season, the semester or the people I was surrounding myself with.

I’ve noticed simple things have the greatest effect on me. When I am inside all day, I am not happy. When I don’t drink enough water or get enough sleep, I am not as productive. When I am isolated from social interactions, I get depressed. When I stop exercising, I feel restless and irritated.

It took me years of paying attention to the little things to piece together the bigger picture, and my time at Guilford helped shape all these insights and decisions.

Sitting in a cafe writing poetry may sound interesting and deep and terribly romantic, or it might also make you feel bored and restless. That doesn’t mean you aren’t romantic or deep or interesting; it just means that isn’t your thing. Find your thing, then find the people who encourage and support you to do that thing and then go for it with all you have.

My advice to you this semester is to pay attention to what makes you the most happy. Guilford is the best place to cultivate this kind of awareness. I’m not going to urge you to join a new club, or run for student council or study abroad, because I don’t know if that will actually make you happy.

But those things will open you up to new experiences where you can learn about yourself. Following your curiosity, and letting it show you the bits and pieces of life that make you happy and excited, is a good thing.

Navigate by heart, and see where you end up. Guilford is a rare place that allows you to do this. It encourages you to grow and become You without telling you what that means or what it should look like. You also have direct access to tremendous resources through Guilford, and I am going to encourage you to take advantage of that.

This semester, take some risks. I promise you won’t get lost. You’re at Guilford! Love every second of it.

Grace graduated from Guilford in 2007. She is a freelance writer and photographer and also works in radio.

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