Saint Rose Experiences: I Am Adult

As I sit here at my home in Poughkeepsie drinking coffee out of a mug with a bunch of (super cute) puppies on it, I know that it is time to reflect on my year and maybe even offer a little advice. As much as it scares me to admit it, I might be turning into a real adult…

This is my adult mug.

Anyways, here are some things that I learned this year!

1. Breathe. Remember that time where we were all freaking out about finals? In a few years, you’re going to look back at this moment, laugh and say, “Why was I freaking out so much over something I knew I would do well on?” Remember to breathe in and out because everything will be okay.
2. Laundry. This is a special little shoutout to my partner in crime, Amelia Evans. Thank you for reminding me why I love being in front of a camera and for just being a great friend to me over the past year. Relive our memory here! On a serious note, do not push off doing your laundry, clothes are important.
3. It is okay to take a backseat. Bear with me here. It is NOT okay to physically steal/take a backseat. However, it is okay to fall back and watch from the outside. You can learn a lot by watching the greats (Courtney Carr, Chris Lovell and Meghan Kiely). Watching others will help you develop in your own way while also giving you something or someone to model yourself after. To these three great seniors, thank you so much for taking me under your wings. Because of you three, I’m ready to fly next year.
4. But do not be afraid to get involved. I know that this might contradict everything I just said, but as I’ve been saying in my previous nine (that’s right, this is my tenth) posts, college is what you make of it. You could stay in your room watching Orange is the New Black (great show, season three coming soon) all day or you could attend one of SEB’s many events per semester and meet new people. Here at Saint Rose, you can really do a wide variety of things. I went to “Line Dancing with Kevin Richards” and learned how to line dance, while also learning another lesson: I have zero rhythm but can still have fun while awkwardly moving around.
5. Do something crazy (but safe). Do something you’ve never done before. For me, I recently participated in an event called “Mr. Saint Rose”. There will be a blog about that in the future, don’t worry. I had only been directly involved in one event prior but I took a chance and actually ended up coming in second place! You might be asking yourself, “What’s so crazy about that, Mike?” Good question and here’s your answer: I dressed up like a makeshift mermaid and performed a lip-sync performance to “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. Your move, reader(s).
6. Be confident and stay humble. Work as hard as you can with everything you do. Give 200% and be passionate about whatever you do. What is the point of doing something if you are going to “half-bad word” it? As well as you might do, don’t ever be cocky about it. Thank everyone who contributed to your success. Without your core, you couldn’t do it alone.

“‘Team M’ for Mike Aurrichio” – Cherie Ruiz

One last set of thank yous before I sign out. Thank you to my friends who consistently showed up to my events to cheer me on and to keep me grounded. Looking into the crowd and seeing your friends truly is a blessing. I suffer from minor anxiety before I step on stage and they have helped me every time. Trust me when I say I understand the difference between anxiety and nervousness. They have all managed to keep me grounded and have helped me keep me head on straight. Thank you to Kayla Germain and Hilary Ciesielski for giving me an opportunity of a lifetime and for not giving up on me when they could have. Thank you to Drew Colberg for hiring me as a tour guide and allowing me to meet some really amazing individuals. Thank you to everyone who has been by side and thank you to my future friends who will also be accompanying me on the journey in the future. I’m ready for the next step/level.