March 27, 2020
Forever changed, forever grateful, forever a Friar
Colleen “CJ” McCartin ’20 shared this letter to Providence College on Friday, March 20.
I’m extremely grateful for my health and the health of my family and friends during this uncertain and scary time, and I truly recognize how blessed I am. However, I still need to find closure with a loss. Those of you who know me know I like to release my emotions with words, so here’s a letter I wrote for Providence College, a goodbye I never thought would come so soon. Forever changed, forever grateful, forever a Friar. ❤️
March 6 was supposed to be the last day of classes before spring break, not the last day of classes forever. But I guess if we take anything away from all of this, it‘s that you never know how much time you have, even when you’re supposed to have more of it. Life doesn’t adhere to “supposed to,” it laughs at “guarantee,” and it has no consideration for the plans we make nor the way things “should” happen. Life just happens, and as harsh as it may feel or seem, we have to adapt and deal with it.
It’s hard to express in words the love and gratitude I have for Providence College. The heartbreak of leaving this place as a senior is difficult enough, but to do so two months early, without the banquets, award ceremonies, traditions, goodbyes … graduation day? Unbearable. Hollowing. Dare I say, soul-crushing. I feel all of the above, to the point where I had to ask myself — did I love college too much?
After thinking it over, the answer appeared glaringly clear: it’s impossible to love Providence College too much, because Providence College is so much more than an academic institution to all of the people who are blessed with the opportunity to attend for four (or 3.75) years.
To us, PC is home. It’s taught me countless lessons, pushing and challenging me both in and out of the classroom. I’ve received an excellent education while learning so much about myself, life, the world around me, the person I want to be, and the changes I want to see in the world.
But what sets it apart from other institutions of its kind, the magical quality Providence College possesses, lies in the people. The Friar family. “Us. We. Together. Family. Friars.” It might sound cliché, but it’s a feeling in the pit of your stomach that grabs hold of you somewhere along the way and never lets go.
Classmates, roommates, teammates, and peers turn into friends who turn into family. Teachers, administrators, and coaches exceed their titles and turn into real, salt-of-the-earth people, playing an integral part in it all. Big enough to meet new people senior year but small enough to see familiar faces, PC is just right.
There isn’t a day that goes by where I doubt my choice to commit to Providence College. Honestly. That’s something special, something I’ll be forever grateful for.
Providence College, thank you for the best 3.75 years of my life so far. Thank you for the extended family I never knew I needed and will never forget that I have. Thank you for the countless reminders that we’re never alone in Friartown, even when the world feels like a pretty lonely place.
Love,
CJ McCartin, Class of 2020
Colleen “CJ” McCartin is an English major with a political science minor from Coral Springs, Fla. At PC, she is the captain of the women’s swim team, the assistant head copy editor for The Cowl, and the editor of the Benjamin Family Social Media Fellowship.
To address the critical needs of students who have been impacted by the ongoing coronavirus public health crisis, PC has started to raise funds for Emergency Student Support through The Fund for Providence College.
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