Majoring in French & Francophone Studies was perhaps the easiest decision of my four years at the College. When I entered as a freshman, I didn’t yet have much direction, so I let my passion for the French language and culture guide me. I took class after class in the discipline through sophomore year, at which point I set my gaze eastward and traversed the Atlantic to spend the entirety of junior year abroad. My year in Lille, France, was, unsurprisingly, the most memorable experience I had as an undergraduate. The most important lessons I learned during the year were the ones learned outside the classroom. I found that, sometimes, saying yes to an opportunity doesn’t necessitate certainty or justification. I also discovered the importance of traveling light. On the one hand, this means being detached materially (which helps to avoid those pesky overweight luggage fees), but more importantly, this means freeing oneself from the weight of discouragement. May we, the Class of 2014, all begin the next adventure in our lives with great courage. Congratulations to my peers, and God Bless the Class of 2014!
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