Layla M. Halterman
Dear Ursinus Family,
As a Jersey girl through and through, I’ve always looked forward to summers at the shore. There is something about the sea glass lining the sandy shores, salty air, warm climate, and endless fun that have me hooked.
So, year after year, the seasonal shift from summer to fall never gets easier. You would think someone who has faced tremendous loss in their (almost) twenty two years would have perfected the art of letting go. However, I still wrestle with the concept of change.
With graduation just seven short months away, I will soon undergo a drastic transition – an adjustment I know I’m not ready to tackle yet. I am stoked by the prospect of beginning a new chapter but feel as if I have been unwillingly thrust into a space between holding on and letting go. Inquiries about what I’ll do post-Ursinus bring several emotions to the forefront – nostalgia, apprehension, fear, and relief. All of which are valid, and I am certain that navigating this so-called new life will be no small feat, forcing me to search for a new center of gravity.
And so therefore, I invite you to not fear the changes happening in your own life, but to rather embrace the new, welcoming it with open arms. You could just be harvesting the best season of your life, even though you may be fighting it with all your might.
I feel you. I see you. I am you, and together, we will find a new way to stand.
Yours truly,
Layla