Life on The Hill

Hello, everyone! My name is Julia Maher ‘23, and I am a new student blogger. I am a junior English major with a concentration in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies at the College. This year I hold leadership positions for Pride and The Spire, two clubs for which I feel very passionate. It feels great to be back on campus, especially since I haven’t been back since March of 2020. 

Campus feels very welcoming, and everyone is excited to be back. Being away for a long time makes me feel more grateful for the time I have on campus. Since I’ve come back, there have been a couple amazing changes to life at Holy Cross. For example, the resident meal plan on campus now allows students to use meal swipes at more locations on campus. We now get 8 meal swipes per week at Cool Beans, D’Agostino’s Cafe, and Upper Crossroads. This increase in meal swipes allows for more variety beyond just eating at Kimball Main Dining Hall. Although the food at Kimball is great and provides many options for students, including those with dietary restrictions, it is nice to have more dining locations that accept meal swipes. I’ve been really enjoying the sandwiches, salads, and grain bowls at Upper Crossroads for lunch.

Another pleasant addition to life at Holy Cross is the Jo, which is the new fitness and recreation center on campus. The facilities are beautiful, and there are plenty of free group exercise classes, including yoga, which helps me to de-stress and feel more connected to my mind and body. This is very important to me, especially since it gives me a nice break from academics. This is my first time being able to use the Jo, since I haven’t been on campus for a long time, and it’s simply awesome.

I look forward to the new Center for Performing Arts on campus, which is currently under construction for an anticipated opening in 2022. This will allow artists and creatives on campus to have a space, and it will increase people’s appreciation for the arts. I also look forward to this school year as a whole — the academics, socializing, activities, and clubs.