Trust yourself and embrace your intuition

Having a high school sweetheart is a controversial topic. Some people think it’s so sweet that we’ve been together so long while others think we’re crazy for getting together at such a young age. Everyone seems to have an opinion on whether you will stay together or break up. I get unsolicited relationship advice from almost anyone I talk to. 

So, you could imagine the type of responses I would get when I would tell people we were going to the same college. And then when I would say we were planning on living together. I had not only close friends and family tell me it was a bad idea, but teachers in my school would tell me we would never last. I’m not sure what it is about having a serious relationship in high school that freaks people out so much. Maybe it’s different for me because my grandparents are high school sweethearts and are still married today.

Dylan and I started dating in 2017 which was our freshman year of high school. Starting our relationship at such a young age allowed us to grow together as a couple. I think this was a big reason we felt confident enough to go to the same college together.

Even with all the negative comments Dylan and I still saw no problem with us coming to Bloomsburg together, and I am so glad we made that decision. From the day I moved in freshman year to the day I graduate, he will always be there for me. It always comforted me to know I had at least one person in Bloom I could go to. Especially when I struggled to find really close friends in the beginning.

Once Dylan and I started dating in high school I would myself become more comfortable being with just him which caused me to not find new friends. By the time we graduated high school, I realized that I only had Dylan plus one or two friends. When I went to college, I was determined to not let this be the case again. Although I still loved spending time with Dylan, I had to be sure I tried to meet new friends.

When we returned for our sophomore year neither one of us knew who to room with. We figured we could do random housing if we lived on campus, but that was nerve-racking. Finally, we had the idea we could get an off-campus apartment together. It was definitely a risky decision that everyone also had an opinion on, but we felt confident. So many people would say “What happens if you break up”, but why would I plan on us breaking up? It just seemed silly to me to not do what I wanted because we may or may not break up.

I feel like this decision really shaped my college experience. Not only did it bring us closer together, but it helped us form a very tight-knit friend group. My friends became his friends and vice versa. We all became one big friend group instead of two divided. Embrace the opportunity to make new connections whether that be from your significant other’s friends or open to introducing two different friend groups. It is something I will struggle with not having after I graduate. When we leave Bloomsburg, we already know we will have to live with our parents for a little while to save up money. Who knows how soon out of college we will get a job or if we will be making enough to get an apartment together. We want to wait to move out till when we feel financially comfortable enough to. It is going to be so hard not being together as much. But I still have a few more months of us living in the same apartment and having the same schedule.

I’m going to make sure I prioritize spending time with him and our friends. We have the best time making dinner together whether that be with my best friend Morgan or by ourselves. We love having movie nights, game nights, going on road trips to Sixers games, and just doing the small things together like grocery shopping or getting lunch at Chick-fil-A. But the one thing I will truly miss the most after college is the amount of free time we have to spend together. When we have a 9-5, we might be able to make dinner together or do things on the weekend, but it won’t be the same as the college schedule. Now we only have to be in class for about 3 hours every day then we can do whatever we want. It just makes me want to savor all the time we have now and not take anything for granted. Especially soaking in our trip to Jamaica for spring break. This will be our first big trip together as a couple so I am excited to see the way it will strengthen our relationship.

I love Dylan so much and I am forever grateful I didn’t listen to everyone’s negative comments in high school. Going to college together was the best decision we could have made. When I think back on Bloomsburg or my college experience the first thing I will remember is how he was there for me every step of the way.

The biggest lesson I have learned through this is to trust myself. I chose to embrace my intuition when it came to deciding if Dylan and I would go to the same school together or live together in college. Seeing that these decisions actually worked out and made my college experience better proved to me that I can make good decisions and that I can trust myself. I knew going to the same school and living together was the best choice for us, but everyone I talked to had me questioning my own feelings. Learning to trust myself and stop second-guessing my intuition is the best takeaway I could have gotten from college.

— Monica Wilt, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of New Cumberland, who loves Taylor Swift, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the show Survivor.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Yes, we’re changing

Everyone has that one person in their friend group they refer to as, “Mom.”

It’s the friend who’s so caring and always looking out for you, while also bringing out the best in you. When you’re in college and away from your family, there are usually those people you go to for advice and help when you’re in difficult situations, or even for me, something I didn't know at the time would put a pause on my sophomore year spring semester. I was lucky enough to have my friend group to help me through my ups and downs, even after I took time off from school.

Especially my roommate today, Olivia.

Olivia comes from Warminster, Pennsylvania, which is a little over two hours away from my hometown of Scranton. Over the past two years, I’ve taken trips up to Liv’s house over the summers and over holiday breaks. Before we lived together, I visited her in the summer and we went to a winery for the day. We talked about how living together would be the best experience, since the year before I didn't get that chance. 

In the summer, she came up to visit me for the Fourth of July. I think Liv and I have had the most time to see each other over breaks and time off from school, and it has made us a lot closer. During this year's spring break, we went to Philadelphia to see our favorite artist in concert, Tame Impala — an Indie/Alternative music group known for their light shows and interactive performances. This was definitely a life-changing experience, something she surprised me with.

“Yes, I'm Changing” by Tame Impala is one of our favorite songs. The song lyrics resonate with us and how we’ve grown as individuals, being there for each other through our hardest times that were life-shaping. The song challenges people's personalities to remain fixed, regardless of circumstances. I would say that change is an important thing in life, and to go through changes and grow together with one of your best friends is a beautiful thing.

When I took a break from school my sophomore year, I could say now that person — that Sarah — is almost unrecognizable. I remember one night when I was going through a particular family situation, Liv was one of the first people I talked to about it. At the time we were not really close, but the way she immediately consoled me and gave me advice was when I knew we would be friends for life.

Now that we live downtown in Bloomsburg — on our more laid-back days — we do little things such as journaling, homework, or grabbing coffee at Fog and Flame or Brewskis. Whenever either of us is having a stressful day, this is our go-to activity to get out of our apartment. I think when we both were younger — this goes for anyone in my friend group — we would not really take the time to do things for ourselves like this. I would not trade anything in the world for the times “Mom” and I do this, even if it seems like something so small.

— Sarah O'Leary, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on interpersonal communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Scranton and is an avid Harry Styles fan.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Look at your friends, look how they shine for you

Having a best friend that knows you inside and out is such a wholesome feeling. Someone that relates to you and understands certain aspects of yourself and what you’re thinking by just an expression on your face. Bloomsburg has given me many friends and a place to call home, but one person in particular has been there for me through some of the hardest times of my life. Someone who I can unapologetically be myself around while knowing she’ll be in my life forever.

Morgan was a transfer student from New Jersey. She came to Bloomsburg as a sophomore, so she was starting all over again, which was a feeling I once experienced. She was the first one I met out of our entire friend group, and we instantly clicked as if I knew her my entire life. I soon found out she lived right across the street from me, so I went over to her apartment almost every day. 

Over the next few months, we started bonding over similar interests we shared, music being a big one of them. To this day, we make it a habit to play the music we love together when we go on long car rides, our favorite being “Yellow” by Coldplay. Listening to this song has become something that instantly reminds me of Morgan, a feeling of warmth and comfort in knowing I could always count on her.

Morgan is a big part of shaping me into the person I am today. Before the pandemic first started, I was really going through a tough time in my life, which led to me taking off a semester from school. Throughout that first half of that semester, I watched from home as my friends continued on with their lives, before being sent home right about the time spring break was over. 

This is when everything with COVID-19 hit, and what we thought was going to be an extended spring break, turned out we would be staying home for months. This was one of the biggest changes that could have happened right before our senior year. Now in our final and last spring semester, things are finally starting to feel like they used to.

The pandemic had a huge impact on everyone, not just college students, but all around the world. It’s hard to imagine getting through this big change without the support of my closest friends and family, such as Morgan. Even though at the time I was technically not in school, I was still supporting my friends that found out their school year abruptly ended. 

Since Morgan lived over two hours away from me, we stayed in touch by FaceTiming on the weekends, anticipating the next time we would be able to see each other in person. Morgan and I are roommates now in our final year. I’m so thankful I decided to continue my education back at Bloomsburg, and be able to graduate with someone who is so close to my heart.

— Sarah O'Leary, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on interpersonal communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Scranton and is an avid Harry Styles fan.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Live every day as a Husky like it's your last

One minute I was in South Beach, Miami, with my best friends. We’d been waiting for this trip all semester counting down the days. In my head it was the start of a fun rest of my final semester. I knew warmer weather was coming to Bloomsburg, and it’s always my favorite part of the year when everyone is outside the last couple months.

I spent that week with some of my very best friends from my college career, and we spent that whole week so happy and living life to the fullest. We had no clue that our time as college seniors was over.

That all took a turn as the week progressed. We found out spring break was extended and at that point like any college student we were happy. But as we found out how serious this all is and the news that we would not be returning, it felt unreal. If someone were to ever tell us, “Hey your senior year is going to end in early March.”

We probably would have done a lot of things different. We would’ve taken advantage of the times we were together more. We would’ve said yes to dinners, drives, living room hangouts- really anything, if we had known it was over.

As awesome as the technology we’re all lucky to have is, it doesn’t make up for the lost memories. I'm happy I still get to text, Facetime, and Snapchat, my best friends in a time where we're unable to spend the time together.

As a senior there were so many things I thought I had more time to do. I wasn’t at the point where I was thinking I was doing my “lasts.” I wish we all could have known that our end was about to be cut short.

If there's anything I could say to my younger friends who are coming back to Bloomsburg in the fall; I would say don’t fail to take advantage of any time you have with your best friends in this town.

Go to commons as a group, stay up all night binge watching that show with your roommates, don’t be annoyed you have to attend that chapter meeting, walk around campus and take in the beauty of the trees and the people you’re surrounded by.

Appreciate every day you have left, and use this as a reminder that not everything is going to go as planned. They say you should live every day like your last — so make sure you live every day as a Husky like it's your last, because it might be. For many of us it is.

We will find a way to give Bloomsburg a proper goodbye, but for now all we can do is be thankful for the memories we have that make this so hard, and overall be thankful for our health.

— Drew Hess, a senior communication studies major and emergent media minor, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications. She is a native of Stowe, Vt., a town of 4,472 people in northern Vermont known for its trails and ski slopes.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

A virtual senior send-off

The recent turn of events with the COVID-19 virus that has taken the world and the students here at Bloomsburg by storm has led to classes being moved online for the rest of the semester. For many students this is sad and frustrating, but especially for those of us who are seniors.

I transferred to Bloomsburg in August 2018 after completing my associate degree at Luzerne County Community College. After two years of online classes, I was ready to experience college campus for the first time as a commuter. Since then, I’ve made many connections and taken advantage of the great opportunities Bloomsburg had to offer.

I’ve attended two Husky Leadership Summits, the Career Intensive Boot Camp, and numerous presentations on campus. I’ve presented at the College of Liberal Arts Symposium, won the Howard Schreier Award for Top Scholarship in Communication Studies, and have been inducted in the Lambda Phi Eta Honors Society. I’ve written for our student publications, The Voice and BUnow and now BU's Office of Marketing and Communications. And I’ve had a good amount of Chic-fil-A.

Bloomsburg University is another victim of coronavirus. This early closing feels like premature finish to my college career. As a commuter, I left campus shortly after the beginning of spring break and didn’t have a chance to bid farewell to anyone. Scrolling through social media feed is also disheartening, as many seniors bid farewell and university accounts congratulate seniors.

It is still to be determined if there will be a graduation ceremony. At this moment a large gathering of people in one area is what a virus would thrive on. It’s an all-around tragic turn of events but given recent reports of current cases of coronavirus victims in PA, could have been more tragic. Perhaps many of this year’s seniors will return as alumni sooner rather than later, due to the virus robbing us of our last few months on campus. I know for myself I would like to return for at least a brief visit. Thankfully, I’m also a local commuter, and it will be easier for me. Hopefully there will be some more silver linings to these bleak, unprecedented times.

— Gabriel Miller, senior communication studies major

Spring Break ... our saving grace

This semester I’ve been balancing four ongoing group projects, an internship, and having all of my exams “strategically” placed on the same Monday or Wednesday. On top of that, the spring time is very busy for the organizations I am involved in, so every weekend calls for an event.

Saying my weekdays are “busy” is definitely an understatement, but that just makes a moment of relaxation much more exciting. We all have tunnel vision for the one week of freedom we receive in the midst of all of this chaos.

Some students decide to go home and lay down on the couch for a week straight. Some students book flights with friends and fly south to warmer weather for seven days of endless excitement. Then there’s me and my best friend, who decided to pack up and drive north right into the snow.

We knew this was going to be one of our last adventures together while both being college students. We also knew we wanted to save some money but still get away for a few days. Therefore, the only logical option seemed to be Niagara Falls.

We booked a cheap hotel for two nights, Kevin’s mom packed us an endless amount of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we were off. A six-hour drive seems like nothing when you are in no hurry and just enjoying the moment you’re in. Luckily, Kevin has a good taste in music, which made the drive that much more tolerable.

We had an ironic “go with the flow” mentality the entire time. We didn’t make any plans ahead of time, so we just decided what we wanted to do in that second and did it. The first night we spent in Niagara was a night where you remember how lucky you are to be alive. There wasn’t any reason to use the word “no,” which resulted in trying a handful of new things.

I went to my first Hard Rock Cafe and somehow received my first bill at a restaurant that was over $100. I experienced a game of blackjack at a casino, where Kevin made back all of the money he lost with an additional $15. We somehow gained ourselves a free casino buffet the next day, which is apparently rare.

I faced my fears of singing karaoke and learned that I need to add more passion into my performance. Then to finish off all of these firsts, we made it to the falls. We spent our second day exploring everything Niagara Falls had to offer and did not let the snow stop us.

The trip was affordable, fun, and everything I could have asked for out of an experience. I am thankful every day for the friends and family who not only support my dream to travel, but join the adventure as well.

— Megan Hawbecker, junior mass communications major #HuskyLife

Netflix has a secret …

Have you ever been in a show hole on Netflix?

If you don’t know what a show hole is it’s when you have just finished a series and now you have no idea what to watch. Yes, we have all been there! We click on the browse button to see what type of genre we want next, but they are just too broad. We can never hone into the exact thing we are looking for.

What if I told you here is another world to Netflix? No, I am not crazy. You might be thinking to yourself there is no way, I know the ins and outs of everything Netflix. Well, you are so wrong. Netflix has some secret code that is put into the address bar that will take you so subgenres.

I know crazy right! Be amazed because your life is about to change! Ever in the mood for a tearjerker, some Nicolas Sparks movies, or anything with Robert Pattinson in it. Look no further they have a subgenre for Tearjerkers. All you have to do it type in the Netflix.com/browse/genre/6384. The number code is what triggers the subgenres in the website.

So, let’s say you are in the mood for Zombie Horror Movies, just add the code 75405 into the address bar and you have a slew of zombie movies. Let’s go to the other end of the spectrum Slapstick Comedy, add the code 10256 and you got The Little Rascals, Scooby-Doo, White Chicks and so much more.

We even have comedies for specific majors.

Criminal Justice

• Crime Documentaries: 9875
• Crime Dramas: 6889
• Crime Thrillers: 10499 
• Crime TV Shows: 26146

Foreign Language

• Foreign Comedies: 4426 
• Foreign Documentaries: 5161 
• Foreign Dramas: 2150 
• Indian Movies: 10463 
• Irish Movies: 58750 
• Italian Movies: 8221 
• Japanese Movies: 10398 
• German Movies: 58886 
• Greek Movies: 61115 
• French Movies: 58807

Political Science

• Political Comedies: 2700 
• Political Documentaries: 7018 
• Political Dramas: 6616 
• Political Thrillers: 10504

Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences

• Science & Nature Documentaries: 2595 
• Science & Nature TV: 52780

Theatre

• Showbiz Dramas: 5012
• Showbiz Musicals: 13573

There are so many different categories to choose from. This will definitely help us stay out of a show hole and maybe even learn more about our majors and some avenues we can discover once we graduate.

Here is the list of codes so you can find your one subgenre!

— Samantha Gross, senior telecommunications major #HuskyUnleashed

One Last Time: 7 things for seniors to do this spring semester

It’s hard for me to believe the spring semester is almost here. It already has a different mood than any semester I’ve been through before.

This spring will be full of so many “last times,” and offers so many “first evers”, too. I plan to make this the most memorable semester with my friends before starting, what my mom calls, my “big girl job.” I also would like to get myself organized for when I move out of college and start this new chapter. I’m sure I’m not the only one in saying that I definitely need to figure out how to make student loan payments, how to buy a new vehicle, and other adult-like things.

But until we get those figured out, here’s to the last time being an undergrad college student and the seven things you most positively should do before leaving.

• Take a picture with Roongo: It’s unknown for most if you’ll be on campus again, so you might as well get a picture with our mascot while you have the chance. BONUS: take a picture with your friends at the Roongo statue on the corner near the Tri-Level.
• Play on the Quad: Pick a sunny day and have some fun with friends on the quad. Whether its cartwheels, catch, or one of those giant bouncy houses, get your friends together and go make some memories! Frolic to your hearts content.
• Eat at the Commons: At least once before you graduate, have an all you can eat buffet at the Commons with your squad. Roll in like you’re a freshman who’s never heard of the freshman 15 and make sure you leave with either a cookie or an ice cream cone. You could even eat dessert first, why not?!
• Do something out of the ordinary: Everyone has their limits, but do yourself the favor and come out of your comfort zone a little bit. That’s why we come to college anyways, to experience new things. It could be something as small as studying in a different spot or something as wild as taking a spring break trip out of the country. Take advantage of any and all opportunities while you have the time.
• Take part in a tradition on campus: Be a part of The Big Event, Relay for Life, Spring Fest, or anything else that pops up. Not only is it a meaningful experience, but you might end up in the yearbook that way. Plus, it’s a great way to show your Husky Pride!
• Go for a walk on campus: Not just any walk, take a self-guided tour of campus while taking in the flowers in bloom. See what I did there, hahaha, but seriously, our campus has so many beautiful sights to be seen and some hidden treasures to be found. Pick any random Sunday afternoon and reflect while walking. Think about the reasons you chose BU, the people you’ve met here, the things you’ve learned, and how far you’ve come in the last four years.
• Thank those who’ve helped you: Maybe write a thank you letter to your parents or grandparents and hand it to them at graduation. You could have them read it while they are waiting for your name to be called. Don’t forget to thank those professors who you really learned a lot from and those who went out of their way to help you succeed.

Even if you aren’t a senior yet, you should still do these things. Also understand that your time is coming soon and it’s never too early to start planning for your senior year- it comes faster than you think. Make sure you have all your classes organized and your GEP goals met; you’ll thank yourself when you are trying to graduate on time. Be proactive in your career search and look for grad schools and internships before your senior year.

Most importantly, enjoy being on campus with your friends and make the most out of the time you are here. From one Husky to another, let’s make this semester the best one yet!

— Jessica Shiptoski, senior accounting major, professional writing minor, fraud examination concentration #HuskyLife #WinterBreak