Shine Your Light – by Emily

Going back down to Mobile this June as a has-been is by far going to be the highlight of my summer. I cannot wait to see the girls that I grew so close to during those two weeks at Nationals, and to enjoy the rich city of Mobile once more. As my departure gets closer, I can’t help but reminisce on all the amazing memories I have from the National Finals last year. I also find myself reliving every fun time and memorable experience as I prepare the 2013 representative from Massachusetts, Brittany, as she readies herself for the trip of a lifetime. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite memory, but there is definitely one experience that seems to stand out from those two weeks. During the first Tuesday night of my trip, after we had spent a long day participating in team-building activities at Camp Grace and educating our Girl Scout troops on the essentials of Be Your Best Self, all 50 of us sat around a bonfire to unwind. Guided by questions from Katye Brock, the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2011, the 50 of us conversed and shared our individual stories. We talked significantly about who our role model was in life, and more importantly what it was like to be a role model in our communities. We were asked to think of a candle, with its flame burning bright and illuminating the darkness around it. A light constantly gives, constantly providing support and guidance through dark and confusing situations. We were then asked to imagine if that light was locked up in a cabinet or sealed away in a box. What good does that do? A light has a duty to provide brightness and clarity to other people, so if it’s locked away somewhere with no one to shine for, then it might as well be put out all together. I looked around the campfire and realized that I was gathered amongst 50 lights that will never be put out. All 50 of us have consciously chosen, on our own, to spread our light to the world, and the Distinguished Young Women program has enhanced that ability for us. Our titles are more than just a medallion around our neck or an achievement to put on our resumes. Being a Distinguished Young Woman means we have allowed the light that is in each and every one of us to shine for the benefit of others. We are role models, inspirations, guides, and persistent lights. That light exists in all of us, you just have to have the courage to let it shine. This program has helped me and so many others recognize the bold and brilliant light that is eager to shine. If you can recognize your unique light and never let it burn out, then that is all it takes to not only be your best self, but to be a truly distinguished young woman. 

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

Boston Strong – by Emily

The events that took place two weeks ago in Boston were devastatingly close to home. I go to school less than a half hour away from the shootings and knew people both running and volunteering at the Marathon, some of whom were within walking distance of the attacks. The initial onset of it all was truly heart-wrenching, but what myself, my peers, the city of Boston, and the nation saw during and after the events were truly inspiring.

Last Friday, five days after the events in Boston took place, the police were still hunting for the attackers. That night also happened to be the night of Merrimack College’s annual Spring Concert and The Band Perry was on their way to perform. The campus was antsy and anxious as they kept checking social media for updated news reports, but the show was sure to go on.

And then something so powerful and triumphant happened. I was sitting with my friends in the arena waiting for The Band Perry to take the stage when my friends phone went off. It was a text from her mom saying they had captured the final attacker. The battle was over. I turned to my other friend and told her the news and she turned to her friend and within seconds the entire crowd of 3,000 plus people had heard the news.

And within a few more seconds the entire crowd was chanting “USA! BOSTON STRONG! USA! BOSTON STRONG!”

And then The Band Perry took the stage and joined in our rejoicing. They sang Sweet Caroline in honor of our city, and we all took a moment of silence to reflect.
In the past decade we’ve seen school shootings, movie theatre shootings, terrorist attacks, and now these attacks on the Boston Marathon. I think the most devastating thing was how sacred and honored the Boston Marathon was. It was a day for people to take pride in their accomplishments and show that they can succeed in something that they put their mind too. The bombings and attacks was a chance for someone to take away that honor.

But they didn’t succeed.

We are Boston Strong, We are notorious for our headstrong ways and our Boston pride. These attacks didn’t take that pride away from us, in fact it made it stronger. People now more than ever are motivated to run the Marathon and for those who couldn’t finish. There are people in this world that are going to try and break spirit. But just like the 3,000 of us at that concert, the good in this world surely outnumbers the evil. It may not seem that way in these dark and confusing times, but if we can all stand together and appreciate the good in life, we can all be Boston Strong.

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

It’s Spring, so Stop and Smell the Roses - by Emily

        

           Ironically, the first day of spring this year and the start of my spring break coincided with a snowstorm that brought a foot of snow and cancelled classes.

            I never really liked spring. I treasure the four seasons that New England offers, but spring was always one I felt I could do without. The beginning of spring is always wet and soggy as the snow melts and the sun tries to peak through. You never really know what to expect when you step outside during spring until early June when summer starts to come. But spring is an important season nonetheless because it’s a transition period. In high school, spring was my busiest time of year and because of that I never really got the chance to appreciate spring, even with all it’s wavering weather and mysterious ways.

            We live in a fast paced society where everything and everyone is constantly on the go. I know in the past I've been guilty of letting this fast paced lifestyle force me into thinking we don’t need things like spring. Why can’t we just fast-forward after winter right to summer, so we can enjoy the warm weather? But we do need spring; it’s nature’s way of telling us to slow down and appreciate.

            In my philosophy class, we were asked to devote 45 minutes over our spring break to silent meditation. Though it seemed crazy and pointless at first, once I completed the exercise I realized why my professor gave us this assignment. He encouraged us to examine who we are outside of the pressures of society and while sitting in solitude. He offered us this quote that seemed to resonate strongly within me and opened my eyes to all I've been missing:

“We can busy ourselves so much with work, sports, social events, extracurricular activities, hobbies and movie going that we lose our souls. If we stay busy enough, we will never have to confront who we are in silence, solitude, and reflection.”

             I've always tried to fast forward through spring, and I blame the pressure of society to move fast and brush over the seemingly insignificant. But now I've realized the real reason why we need spring. Nature could easily switch from the cold dark days of winter to the warm sunny days of summer, but instead it chooses to take the time to move slowly and gradually. I think we could all be taught a lesson by spring, one that teaches us to slow down and appreciate all that we have in life. So take a moment today to stop and smell the roses of spring, and don’t let them and the many other quiet but meaningful things in our life go unnoticed.

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

Random Acts of Kindness - by Emily

For those of you that may not know, February was random acts of kindness month.  I’m part of the honors program at my school and as a group we decided to spread some random kindness around campus. We raised money for charity, gave away free candy, and posted “take a free compliment” flyers around campus with cut-out compliments on the bottom for people to rip off. The little things we did were fun and helped promote the atmosphere that we wanted, but my favorite thing that we did was the clothespin-kindness act.

The idea behind the clothespin-kindness act was to take clothespins that say things like “have a great day!” and “you have a great smile!” and pin them on strangers. The key is to be sneaky about it so they don’t know you are pinning it on them. That way when they find the clothespin later on, they won’t know who pinned it on them and will receive a random act of kindness. My friends and I from the honors program found this task a lot harder than we thought, especially the being sneaky part. The results of our pin-the-compliment-on-a-stranger adventures, however, made us feel like we had succeeded in spreading the kindness around campus.

The first day of pinning, we saw our results all over facebook, twitter, and instagram. Under the hashtag #randomactsofkindness, we found people from all over Merrimack posting pictures of the clothespins they found on their bag or jacket and how it made their day.  One of my favorite quotes and philosophies is by Rachel Joy Scott, who said:


"I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go."

 

So spread a little kindness today. It may go a lot farther than you think. 

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

How to Spot a Northerner Anywhere - by Emily

When I first arrived in Mobile for the Distinguished Young Women finals, I stuck out like a sore thumb.  Here I am from Boston walking around say “Wow! This place is wicked cool!” It was pretty easy to pick me and the other Northerners out amongst all the “y’alls” and southern drawls. When I read Christina’s post about how to spot a southerner anywhere, I felt I needed to educate the world on the ways of the North, particularly New England.
 
1) Defining “New England”
 
New England is made up of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. It does not include New York or New Jersey. That’s pretty much it.
 
2) We sadly don’t have Krispy Kreme or Chick Fil-A
 
As Christina pointed out, people from the North don’t know of Krispy Kreme or Chick Fil-A. Before coming to Mobile, I had never tried Krispy Kreme or Chick Fil-A, in fact I had never even heard of Chick Fil-A. We do make up for it with Papa Gino’s pizza and Friendly’s ice cream. I always knew that Papa Gino’s was a New England thing, but I didn’t know the same was true about Friendly’s until I went to Mobile. I mentioned it to my host family and they both asked what Friendly’s was. For all of you asking the same question, Friendly’s is a diner style restaurant famous for the gourmet sundaes. Many are kid-friendly (no pun intended) like the Monster Mash. My favorite is the Giant Crowd pleaser, which is meant to be shared; 12 scoops of ice cream and 6 toppings! You can mix and match and get as creative as you want.

                     
 
3) We don’t say “y’all”, but we do say “wicked”…
 
…and we often fahget to use the lettah “r”. We also call water fountains “bubblers” (a term I was laughed at for using in Mobile).
 
4) Don’t even bother checking the weather because it will most likely change in an hour.
 
Last week it was 45 degrees and partly sunny. This weekend was a blizzard. Today it’s raining. Tomorrow will be in the 40s again. 
 
5) The slogan may be “America Runs on Dunkin”, but it should be “New England runs on Dunkin.”
 
There are 4 Dunkin Donuts in my town.  And regardless of the weather, people will most likely be drinking an iced coffee. Hot coffee really isn’t our thing.  

6) We take our sports very seriously.
 
New England, and Boston in particular, has some die-hard sports fans. Walking around Boston wearing Yankees gear during baseball season is probably not the best idea. We are full of pride and team spirit.
 
7) The best part about New England is the four seasons
 
I will never get sick of experiencing a hot summer day in July, a crisp fall day in October where the leaves change, a white Christmas in December, a blizzard in January, and the warm spring that melts it all away. I can never say which season is my favorite, and I love that I get to experience the height of each one every year.
 
Unlike Christina, I stayed in New England for College but I have still been able to recognize the differences between New England and other places around the country. Some of my classmates are from places like Ohio and Illinois, and they often point out the differences I just talked about. I love living in New England, and I love sharing our unique culture with others. 

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

Reflections Moving Forward - by Emily

It’s always been a goal of mine to learn how to ski. My dad was an avid skier when he was growing up and would always tell me tales of adventure and thrill. Every winter, however, things would come up and the season of snow would pass yet again before I got the chance to try it. This winter however, with a 6-week break from school, I was determined to try. Last week, my dad and I took a day to travel up to New Hampshire where he would teach me how to ski. As excited as I was, the second I put the skis on my feet I felt incredibly awkward and clumsy. How on earth was I supposed to gracefully glide down a mountain with these things if I could barely control them enough to walk a flat foot? I looked up at the foreboding mountain and the seasoned skiers that moved down a steep trail and thought to myself “I’ll get there someday, just not today.”

My dad told me we were taking a chairlift up a little ways to a simple, practically flat beginners run where I could figure things out. It wasn’t even a part of the mountain. He assured me it would be easy, and he explained the basics to me. Once we experimented with that trail and I began to figure things out, he took me back on the chairlift but this time up the mountain. I was so nervous, but my dad assured me it was the easiest trail and that nothing was going to happen. I remember being at the top of the mountain, not knowing how I was going to make it to the bottom. All I knew was that I wasn’t going to let it scare me and I certainly wasn’t going to say I rode all the way to the top just to take the chairlift back down. So, I took a deep breath, trusted myself, took my time, and made it down the mountain. It was much easier than I had thought and I had a so much fun going down. When we both reached the base, my dad told me to turn around. I looked up at what I had just come down, and realized that it was the trail I had looked up at in the very beginning when I told myself I was never going to make it past phase one today.

As winter break comes to an end and I prepare for my second semester of college, I find myself doing a lot of reflecting on my successful first semester, the challenges I overcame, and the challenges that lay ahead. I can’t help but see a lot of parallels between this simple skiing adventure and my college experiences. At the beginning of my first semester, I had the same wave of emotions as any other college freshman. I was nervous, excited, anxious, determined, overwhelmed, and a little sad to leave home and move on to the next chapter in my life. When classes finally started and I realized the academic trials that I was about to endure, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through it all. All I knew was that I had to and that was enough to motivate me. With a positive attitude, I didn’t let the thought of the challenge burden me before I even got the chance to tackle it. This was the same exact mindset I had while skiing for the first time. I know that if I can use this philosophy with every challenge that comes before me, through school and beyond, I will have the best chance to succeed.

Time really does fly, but it sometimes doesn’t feel that way until you look back on all that has happened. Whether it’s a whole semester of school or making it down a mountain on skis in one piece, I’ve learned to embrace every trial and tribulation, trust myself to get through it, and enjoy the learning experience before it’s over.

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

Holiday Distractions - by Emily

Whether you’re in high school or in college, the month leading up to the holidays and the end of the school semester can be distracting amongst all the holiday cheer. The end of the school semester comes with final projects, tests, and class wrap-ups. Along with that comes the stress of holiday gift shopping and present wrapping. It can be tough to juggle the urge to bake holiday cookies and sing carols when you know you have a final to study for! I’ve created a list of five ways to keep you from getting too distracted during the holiday season so that all you’re work can be done in time to sit by the fire and enjoy time with family, friends, and true holiday spirit.

1.     Plan out you’re gift shopping. Whether you’re shopping for Christmas, Hanukah, or any other Holiday this time of year, the month of December is the best and worst time to shop. It’s great because there are many sales and specials along with cute holiday themed items perfect for whomever you are buying for. At the same time, this can complicate things. I know I find myself aimlessly walking around the mall every December overwhelmed with all the options and wasting time wandering into every store trying to find the perfect gift. The key is to think ahead and figure out what you are going to get for who and where the best place is to go so you can get all you’re gifts in one shopping trip. Look for specials daily so you can get the best price. Overall, plan out you’re gift shopping so you can save money and time.

2.     Take Advantage of DVR. I know for me ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas is the most distracting part of the holiday season. I may have a ten-page paper to write for my College Writing final and a Chemistry exam to study for, but when Elf is on how can I not drop everything and watch it? This can very quickly cause problems. What I suggest is to DVR or record the movies you want to watch so you can watch them later when all your work is done. Another perk to that is you get to fast-forward through all the commercials! If you don’t have a DVR, find a friend that does and ask them to record the movies and plan a movie day with them when the semester is over. That way you can get all you’re work done on time without feeling like you are missing out. Then, you can celebrate by embracing the holidays with a movie marathon.

3.     The end of the semester is supposed to motivate you, not discourage you. For many of us, myself included, the end of the semester and winter break nearing can often deter us from our schoolwork. We can see that the end is near, so we get careless and tell ourselves “Oh well, I’m pretty much done anyways, so why bother studying?” Don’t let that be you’re attitude! Use the end of the semester as you’re motivation! Be positive and work hard in your last few weeks of classes and don’t throw away all the work you’ve done in the past semester. Make it count for something and say to yourself “Once I ace this final I can enjoy the holidays on a positive note.”

4.     Procrastinate productively. I understand that it’s hard not to procrastinate on any normal day, so during the holiday season it can be even harder.  I’ve found that there are ways to take a study break while still being productive. Use your gift shopping as a way to take a break, or go to the gym and use that time to listen to Christmas music to get into the spirit. It’s important too to make a list of the things you need to accomplish in the time frame that you have so that you know when you can afford a study break. You don’t have to avoid holiday cheer all together, just be aware of what you need to get done and fit in a study break as part of your schedule.

5.     Be thankful. Thanksgiving is the only holiday that deserves a recollection of all we can be thankful for. Enjoy the little things and treasure the memories. I remember when I was young my sisters and I would wake up at 4:00 on Chirstmas morning just to sit in front of our tree and stare at our presents until our parents woke up, because we weren’t allowed to open presents without them. Those are the little things I miss, but as we all grow older we find more and more things to be thankful for and can appreciate even more about life. During one of your study breaks, think about those less fortunate and make an effort to give to those who need it. There are more opportunities than you’d think to support someone else and spread a little holiday cheer to everyone, especially those who don’t always get to celebrate. So amidst all the overwhelming and exciting things that come with this time of year, make sure you find a moment to sit back, relax, and appreciate.

Happy holidays to everyone! Hope this helps you embrace this season while being as productive as you can.

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!

Positivity is Key - by Emily

I’ve been dancing since I could walk. I was first officially enrolled in dance classes when I was four years old, and it’s been my passion ever since. When I was in second grade my family and I moved from Halifax, MA to Bridgewater, MA and a year later I became a student at Paula Coffey Dance Center (PCDC). It quickly became my home away from home and my teammates became like sisters. In 5^thgrade, I became a part of the competition team at PCDC. As I grew in the world of dance, I obtained more and more responsibility and prestige at PCDC. By senior year, I was a co-captain of the Senior competition team as well as teaching classes. I was a role model. I was looked up to. I was on top in the world at PCDC. After my final dance recital there, people from the community came up to me and complimented me on not only my skill, but also my involvement in the school and my commitment to dance.

Thank goodness Merrimack College has a dance team! I couldn’t imagine going into college without continuing with dance. When tryouts came, I was nervous but confident. With the positive words that I received when I left PCDC and my years of experience to back me up, I tried out for the Merrimack College dance team.

But I didn’t make it. When I looked at the final team list and didn’t see my name, one thing came to my mind. I wasn’t going to be dancing this year. Everyone assured me that there was always next year and that I could try out again, but that didn’t matter. I was going to have to take an entire year off from dance. With this painful reality came the realization that I wasn’t safe and secure in my hometown anymore. I was an hour away, in a new environment with new people and new things to experience. I had thought that college was just a new setting for me to transfer my old life to. I was wrong, and not making the Merrimack College dance team made me realize that. College was not only a new setting, but also a new life.

Through all the change and adapting that came with college, it was important for me to stay true to myself while branching out and trying new things.  Not making the dance team was hard, but there’s always a silver lining. I now had much more time to get involved in other things on campus. I became a Merrimack College tour guide, a Best Buddies member, and a part of Merrimack College Relay For Life. Those are all things that allow for my true spirit to shine through, and at the same time allow me to experience college and become adapted. Positivity is the key, as well as taking advantage of the fact that my school offers Zumba every week to compensate for not dancing. ;)

Thanks! Emily

Emily Thomas is a college freshman at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education. Originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Emily was a participant in the Distinguished Young Women program and was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts for 2012. Learn more about Emily here!