Happy December, y’all! I don’t know about you, but this month tends to be one of my favorite times of the year (minus a lot of snow). From running chaotically to various get-togethers, to having awkward small talk with distant relatives (Me: “Yes, Cousin Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the Midwest is great for meeting people!” [shoves cookies into mouth in order to avoid talking]), the holidays can be absolute madness. Despite the crazy scheduling, I love the bonding opportunities with friends and family that abound in the next few weeks. Last month, we focused on gratitude as an overarching theme for this series. As for this month, with the snowfall in full swing, I would like to introduce a different topic to focus a few thoughts on: Stewardship. A quick Google search for the definition of stewardship resulted with “the management or care of something.” While this term is used A LOT in my department (Special Events & Stewardship), it can be a little ambiguous as to what exactly stewardship or stewarding something is. What it really boils down to are relationships and how we foster and grow them — something we tend to do naturally throughout this Christmas season.

The holidays bring about so many emotions; some good, some not so much. With finals under your belt and a few weeks off, it can be very nice to take a breather and relax with some of the people you care about most. Something I often found that Christmas brought about after a brief moment of relaxation was an overwhelming sense of absolute anxiety. What will next semester look like? What’s going to happen? Particularly as a senior (or anyone in a state of transition), these questions can be overpowering and can often feel isolating.

Now, you may ask: What does all of this have to do with me? As someone who went through that period of time when graduation was looming and everything that I held dear for the past four years had an impending cloud of uncertainty floating around them, I know how you might be feeling about the future of the friendships and relationships in your life. And believe me, it’s terrifying. There may be questions similar to, “What will happen to our friendship?” or “Will we still keep in touch after graduation?” Maybe you already know where you are going after graduation but it isn’t local, so the question now becomes, “How will we stay in touch?”

First of all, I would like to start by saying that any kind of relationship is work. Common sense, yes, and something we don’t often like to admit, but important to remember when you don’t live in close proximity to one another. For me, I always have enjoyed taking a second to write a card to someone. It began as a hobby and something that truly brought me joy, particularly when I moved away from home, but now is something I have brought into my work life as well. Whether it is acknowledging a coworker, a friend or a donor, handwritten mementos go a long way.

In the age of instant gratification and social media, another important tidbit to keep in mind is that people have varying schedules and work-life balances, particularly in the next few years of life — and that’s okay. When I moved to San Antonio two months after graduating, I pretty much thought (albeit, dramatically) that friendships were going to diminish. I was in an intense state of shock from all the change (think of Kevin McCallister freaking out in Home Alone). For the first semester of grad school, I was ardently clinging to the friends and family back home, and I will be the first to admit that the transition was rough. Thankfully, I can look back positively now and wish I had the knowledge to say “Go easy on yourself,” “Relax” and “Everything happens for a reason.” As a result, for those seniors in college who are unsure of the future to come, I want to relay to you that while graduating is indeed the end of a chapter, it does not mean that the friends and memories you made during those four years end with it. In fact, it is because of the wonderful people you meet at Saint Vincent that you will continue to find joy in life even after you leave the peacefulness of Melvin Platz and Sebastian’s Garden. Furthermore, when you are able to see your fellow Bearcats again, it will probably be a happy reunion which is also a fantastic reminder of why you initially became friends.

In the end, what I am attempting to communicate to you is that life is a series of unknowns. Your path won’t be straight, you won’t be able to plan everything (a lesson I continually learn) and you won’t be able to be everything for everyone — but the relationships you make during the journey are worth it. They are certainly worth the time and effort as the memories will be plentiful. Stay in touch with your past while also embracing the present. You never know how the future is going to play out, and even in the midst of chaos and angst, remember you are never alone. Enjoy it!  

Bearcats in April 2013 and December 2015