It’s been roughly a month since I left Los Angeles and LMU to travel throughout Europe for a few weeks and eventually return to my small hometown in Massachusetts. During that time, I have been able to really reflect on my freshman year. When doing this, there’s one emotion that is more prevalent than the rest: Thankfulness. It’s only now that I’m beginning to realize how lucky I am and what an amazing year it has been, and it is all because of my decision to attend LMU. Although there are countless things from the past year for which I am thankful, I’m going to talk about the three that mean the most to me.
Classes and Professors
First and foremost, I went to LMU for a respectable and well-rounded education, and that is exactly what I’m receiving. I was pleasantly surprised that even in my lower level foundation courses, class sizes never exceeded 20 or 30 students, and I always felt that I was well connected to my professors and peers. In addition, the quality of instruction I received exceeded my expectations, and I have forged productive and lasting relationships with my professors, something that I really hoped to do before arriving at LMU. In the end, I learned a ton while in class at LMU during this academic year, and had a good time doing it. If that’s not something to be thankful for, I don’t know what is.
Getting Involved
Another incredibly important advantage of going to college is meeting new people and creating lasting relationships with those around you. As I have learned over the past year, the best way to do this is by getting involved with as many activities and groups as possible (within reason, of course). From intramural sports to fraternities and sororities to the numerous clubs on campus, it is incredibly easy (and almost impossible to avoid) getting involved at LMU. Before I knew it, I was involved with multiple intramural sports, joined a fraternity, and was interning for an awesome LA-based start-up. And before I knew it I had made more great friends than I could have ever imagined. The only downside is that I miss them all while I am at home this summer, but it has made me realize how fortunate I was to have found them.
Los Angeles
The last thing that I am thankful for about LMU has less to do with the university itself and more to do with where it is located. Being the beautiful and self-contained school that it is, students never have to leave. That doesn’t mean, however, that they shouldn’t. For me, I am very glad that I occasionally ventured outside the LMU bubble and was able to explore Los Angeles and the many wonderful things that it has to offer, and LMU is a great launching point for all kinds of activities. From shopping in Santa Monica to hiking up to the Hollywood sign to catching the sunset at Manhattan Beach, I have made countless memories everywhere in L.A., and for that I am incredibly thankful.
In the end, my freshman year at LMU has been a great ride full of meaningful learning, lifelong friends, and unforgettable memories. After it all, there’s only one question left in my mind: When can I go back?