With Christmas break on the rise, many St. George’s alumni are returning home to freshly-made beds  and homemade food. The class of 2015 has been missed by many students, and they have been keeping busy while away at college. Whether it’s taking on a internship, injuring every body part possible or learning more about themselves, these alumni have returned to Memphis with interesting stories and advice for current seniors.

Taylor Owens is currently attending Boulder University in Colorado, and she is double majoring in neuroscience and psychology and minoring in women’s studies. Owens has enjoyed spending her free time taking advantage of the Colorado landscape by hiking, during which she has come face-to-face with large deer.

Owens returns home with interesting stories to tell like on storying being pepper sprayed in the face on Halloween night. She was at a Halloween party with security present, and while they were pepper spraying another woman, Owens turned at the wrong time and got sprayed in the face.

Meanwhile at Virginia Tech University, Caroline Cannon seems to injure herself almost every day. At one point, she was trying to hold an elevator door open with her leg, but it continued to close and crushed her leg. Along with other stories of injuries, she also returns home with stories of playing jokes on her new friends.

“Once upon a time, I bought a cut-out version of Peeta and hid him throughout the dorm and in the showers,” Cannon said. “I even bought life-size pigeons and would hide them, too, even in the elevators, just to scare other people.”   

Owen Miller is proudly ringing his cowbell at Mississippi State University and is enjoying the freedom of not being restricted from things such as leaving school in between classes. In Miller’s opinion, his college has some of the most unique students.

“There is this girl on campus that I call Catwoman,” Miller said. “I call her this because she will wear cat ears on her head, a little bell around her neck and may or may not wear a tail. She will sometimes meow if you get close enough, and you can definitely hear it.”

Even though these alums voiced that they are having a fantastic time, the idea of college is nonetheless stressful to many, and it can seem terrifying to upperclassmen who are preparing for it. The fear of even getting accepted to a college is stressful enough for many seniors applying to college.

“Apply somewhere that feels like home to you,” Miller said. “Don’t apply somewhere just to apply there. If you have always had your eyes set on one school, try branching off a little bit and see what else is out there.”

In terms of college itself, Cannon has already learned a few tips and tricks during her time so far.

“If you talk to people, you won’t be as scared to get to know everyone in your dorm,” Cannon said. “It’s nice, too, because, now that I know people, I can use them to teach me how to do things. I use one of my friends to teach me calculus in exchange for my friendship.”

While college can be stressful to many, the alumni assure students that it can also be one of the best times of their lives. Owens voiced that, with the freedom, independence and time to explore oneself more, one’s time at college can be fantastic with the right mindset. 

“It’s honestly not as bad as you think it is,” Owens said. “You have a ton of free time though, so make sure to plan stuff and be social or else you’ll be bored and lonely.”