Maggie Schmidt ‘12

Many questioned my choice of coming to Lawrence, especially since I grew up in Massachusetts. Were there not any good small, private, liberal arts colleges closer than Wisconsin? But, there were lessons I needed to learn, experiences to have, and friends that I needed to meet. I came to Lawrence bright-eyed and ready for all the adventures college could bring. But Lawrence had more to teach me than about writing, political theory, and my future career. Freshman year was not easy. I transitioned to being hundreds of miles from home. My roommate suffered a devastating loss and I learned to be there for her. I was hurt by a classmate and took the next year to figure out how to address it. From it all, I learned some of the most important lessons that have guided me through life. First, your true friends are the ones who are there when you are at your lowest points (including staying up with you when you can’t sleep and ordering late-night pizza). Passion can be driven by more than just academic knowledge. And to appreciate where you have been in life, even if it is not always easy. These struggles guided me to my passion and ultimately to my career. As I look at where I am now, and where I came from, Lawrence is a huge part of my strength, passion, and growth. College is not always easy, but that is what makes it different. That is what made Lawrence different. Lawrence is where I faced my deepest struggles, as well as giving me some of the greatest, most positive experiences of my life. Not many people can find the light in the dark, but Lawrence helped me see that there are a lot of great things even among the hard times. It’s that light that I have kept since I left Lawrence, and strive to show every day.