Day 30

Today is the last day of my first month at Georgetown. My Georgetown friends may argue with me—they have very strong opinions of the duration of a month—but I have been at Georgetown from August 26, 2015 to September 25, 2015.

I find it impossible to describe this month succinctly. Life-changing events have occurred, and mundane events have too. My best summary of my past month is my intense gratitude. Still it all feels like a dream, and eventually I will wake up back in Georgia with a cat on top of me and sisters chattering as they get ready for school and Chattahoochee waiting for me to start the day. I suspect that I will never stop feeling this way. I am so grateful to live in this dream world.

I have found myself a core group of friends. These losers, as I tend to affectionately call them, have been lovely company as we attempt to navigate this large world we now call life. We call ourselves "squad," further indicating the extent of our loser-dom. Just yesterday, we determined that I am squad mom; the label flooded me with warmth as I felt a little more at home in a brand-new place. Kaei, Michael, Isaac, Hunter, Margaret, and Ellen—these are my new people. I terribly miss my old people too, and frequently check in with Allison, Elena, Helen, Nikki, Preet, and JVL. Six old and six new friends, all people I am thankful that God created.

Today is Day 30 of Hannah at Georgetown. On Day 29, I saw Pope Francis at the United States Capitol. Pressed against a green plastic fence, I held a Canon camera into the air for fifteen minutes and sobbed as Pope Francis made his way onto the West Lawn balcony and blessed us all. He welcomed us and prayed over us, saying: 

Buenos días a todos. Se agradezco su acogida y su presencia. Se agradezco los personajes más importantes que están aquí, los niños. Quiero pedirle a Dios que los bendiga. Señor, Padre nuestro de todos, bendice a este pueblo. Bendice a cada uno desde ellos, bendice a sus familias, dales lo que más necesiten. Y le pido por favor a ustedes que recen por mi y si entre ustedes hay algunos que no creen o no pueden rezar les pido por favor que me deseen cosas buenas. Thank you, thank you very much, and God bless America.*

The translator left out a few words, translating "dales lo que más necesiten" to "bless them all," but the crowd before him got the message loud and clear. Pope Francis loves his people, and asks us all, believers and otherwise, to pray for him and send him good vibes. People all around us were crying, making me feel less self-conscious about my flat-out sobs. I have been blessed by Pope Francis, and so has my family.

That never would have happened in Georgia. Yesterday on my walk home, I passed the White House and saw John Kerry. That never would have happened in Georgia, either. Georgia is all I know, and being here is so foreign that I can't wrap my head around it. The King and Queen of Spain were here on campus a couple weeks ago. I can't wrap my head around that either.

One Saturday night, I walked with a new friend from our campus to the monuments. When we reached the White House, I asked her, "Do you think the President ever gets used to it? Do you think the novelty of the White House ever wears off?" I wonder if Georgetown seniors have gotten used to it, to this amazing place with its amazing opportunities. I wonder if I ever will. I wonder if I will ever stop wondering how different my life would be right now if I had gone to UGA, the more financially logical decision. I wonder what would be better and what would be worse.

Here at Georgetown, my default mood is happy. I am simply happy, in a place that strives to foster men and women for others. I recently reread my Georgetown application essays; in them I wrote, Georgetown "consists of and creates the type of people I love, people who use their excellence to further the world. Being a Hoya would change my life, and hopefully help me change others’ lives, for the better." I am a Hoya on the Hilltop, this Hilltop of change and challenge and an atmosphere of servant leadership. And that's truly incredible to this little Georgia girl.


*A translation for your benefit, if you so desire: "Good morning, everyone. I thank you for your welcome and your presence. I thank the most important people here, the children. I want to ask God to bless you. Lord, Father of all, bless this people. Bless each of them, bless their families, give them what they most need. And I ask you all please to pray for me, and if among you there are some who do not believe or cannot pray, I ask you please to send me good wishes."