With all the unpredictable events that can take us for a loop in our lives, I am grateful to be on this campus. I have gained more than an education; I have learned to embody the spirit of this campus and engage in my both my own and my peers’ character development. While my journey is far from over, I am thankful for the opportunity to share some of the lessons myself and my fellow Captains have learned over the past two years.

We have bonded, grown, hurt and celebrated together as a community, and not just as a college campus. Already I have seen the power of this student body. We have made leaps and bounds academically, innovated new and inventive methods of research and organizational structure, demonstrated our leadership potential through competitive programs, and yet the most important acts I have witnessed have been those of the unsung heroes on campus. The students who stayed up all night to help a friend, who surprised us with exactly what we needed at exactly the right time, who were our silent support at the counseling center, the gym buddy we did not know we needed, and so much more.

Honestly, I could go on. Our administrators, faculty and students have made the commitment to dive deeper than the average college member and we exemplify this vow through our actions even more than our words. So, I will leave you with this: do not stop. As Captains, we push ourselves every step of the way, even beyond our four years at Christopher Newport. We are proud to call ourselves Captains and lead lives of true significance.

After fall break, teachers and students begin to collaborate and coordinate to ensure we’re all prepared for our next steps, whatever they may be. In other words, fall break signifies the “get serious” portion of the semester, which involves coming together to talk about our four-year plans, class schedules, post-graduation plans and more.

I am one of the rare few that enjoys advising season. With my type-A personality and love of planning I find myself looking forward to a time that may be stressful for others. Thankfully, this campus is well prepared for this daunting three-week period. With resources like the Center for Career Planning, core advisers, peer mentor programs and more, we have plenty of opportunities to establish ourselves on campus and set ourselves up for success down the road.

As a freshman I didn’t expect people to invest themselves in me at all, let alone with the passion and dedication that I did receive. Now, as a junior I have been given the correct tools to serve as a mentor to other students in my position and become a leader in my own right. I have made many a four-year plan, and I love that. Now I get the chance to give back to the campus that has given so much to me!

Anatomy and physiology is one of the most difficult and coveted courses at Christopher Newport. For future healthcare professionals, this class is one of the hallmarks of our academic careers. It may also be one of the most terrifying semesters as well. I may only be in my first semester, but I’ve already made some drastic changes to my learning style that may seem extreme to some. Not only is the lecture time consuming, but the lab has been more intense than any course I’ve taken thus far.

Anatomy is one of the first courses pre-healthcare professionals can truly say will be relevant to their career. For the first time, what we learn is directly applicable to our future and is more often than not our true passion. We WANT to dive in and commit the extra time; we WANT to master the content, not just memorize it.

It is no surprise then that anatomy is the one course that has forced my fellow students and I to join together. Creating 28-page study guides with over 17 students contributing is almost unheard of in college. Yet we tossed around my laptop like it was nothing! Exchanging quizlets among 20-plus students and spending over seven additional hours in lab with other struggling students has taught me that, at Christopher Newport, we are all truly in this together.

So to all the future anatomy students out there – get ready. Don’t be afraid to push yourself and meet new people! Embrace the challenge that is anatomy and physiology, and good luck!