Dear Cousin, sister in law & FUS Freshmen,

I wanted to write you, to warn you. I want to warn you that you are about to meet some REALLY weird people. You are about to hear people say some REALLY weird shit. You are about to see some REALLY weird things.

I wanted to warn you that you are about to experience the most amazing 4 years of your life.

If your scared. You should be. But NOT for the reasons listed below.

FUS "The Circle"

In my first month at FUS I was always in a horrible mood. Maybe it was because my roommate woke up at 4am, turned on all the lights to read "the God-given scripture". As if that justified her scheduling the crack of dawn 3 hours before God intended.

While in mass, I had someone repeatedly hit me in the back of the head, as she was praising God so hard with her palms up and out, and worse over, she was so engulfed in her praising I couldn't get her attention to make her stop.

Numerous times, I heard people exchange stories about them "speaking in tongues" and some claiming that after a serious prayer session they had levitated.

Hanging out in Tommy

I also remember girls approaching me at random saying "Remember not to show off the four B's."  At the time I had NO idea what the were talking about.

The two dates I had been brave enough to go on my first semester, both ending up asking me the questions, "how many children would be interested in having, what are your political views and do you want to go pray with me outside the abortion clinic in Pittsburgh on Saturday?"

I called my mom repeatedly... "I am not Catholic!"

Karaoke Night

I truly felt that way. There was no relating to these people. I didn't do the things they did and at the time I did not want to be associated with them or any of it. Therefore, I was NOT Catholic!

Sure I attempted to make friends. For the most part it seemed a bit hopeless. I had come from a small private school, where things like drinking and snorting coke was many people's idea of a good time, so when a girl from down the hall invited me to go out with her for a "good time"... I was surprised.
 Friday night came and she led me to the tennis courts beside the dorms..... and explained to me what frisbee-golf was.

I thought she was joking.

Not that I was ever interested in doing drugs... but really? I was 19. I remember thinking..."I'm too old for this crap!"

FL girl - First time in the snow

About three months in my fall semester I met a group of girls that made it all tolerable. We acted as each other's support. For me it was perfect. It still didn't shield me from all of it but when I was overwhelmed by it all I could take a break with one of them. Even though it was a sorority, it was NOT your typical sorority. Sure we went out drinking, dancing and for karaoke. But a majority of our time was spent in similar ways as the majority of people on campus doing simple things. Not frisbee-golf but...

In my first couple semesters at FUS I attempted to play guitar, piano and the harmonica. A friend taught me how to crochet a scarf, make a snow man and make your own cigarettes to save money. As a group we attended campus events and even held some of our own. I taught girls how to braid hair and cook.

I had no idea that it would be this small group of girls and that school that would mold me so much.

And I'm sure none of us did it on purpose. For a while I thought maybe it happened because the school is in a small town, but I know other schools that are in small towns that are just party schools. Eventually I decided that it had to happen at FUS and for me, it had to happen with this sorority.

Dancing in the Trevie Fountain in Rome, Italy '05

My first semester at FUS, I was so disappointed. I had spent one year at a "real college" and while I didn't have the time, the money or the balls to go out and get drunk or stoned, it "felt" like college... which in turn made me feel like I had "grown up". Now I was at this school where campus parties were full of bibles, youth group guitar music and even people playing tag or frisbee all the time.

I felt like I went from college to Christian Summer camp.

I would explain this frustration to my senior sorority sisters and they would say "I know what you mean, but trust me... it gets better." Secretly, I figured they were crazy people as well. lol

When in Rome.

It wasn't until my second year at FUS that it all began to make sense. I attended the European Study Aboard Program with 120 fellow students. I won't give you every detail but, at some point I just let go. I sat in the 400 year old chapel on campus and prayed and then....I stopped fighting them.

I just let them have it. I didn't question them, try to explain, rationalize it and even try to understand them. I knew some of them HAD to be that religious or they would fall apart, but others were just that into God and the Church and they were just that happy!

It was those people I began to form a curiosity with... and eventually even friendships.

Volunteering @ LAMP with the Bishop of Steubenville

I showed them that people who liked to drink, smoke and even used the occasional profanity in common conversation weren't demons. They in turn showed me that people who started their mornings with Mass, prayed before every meal and ended their evenings with adoration, weren't praying to God to keep them on the straight and narrow or to keep themselves on a pedestal away from the everyday person, but were doing it out of love.


I thought I knew what love was. I thought I knew what worship was. I thought I knew God. They showed me there was more. And while I never truly advanced my faith in the ways they did, I began to experience it in my own time and in my own ways letting God and the Church lead. Slowly.

My View from my '08 Graduation

As an adult today, double alumni of FUS (BA and MS degree), wife,mother, home owner, homemaker, part time employee and Catholic... I look back and thank FUS and its students and faculty.

Firstly, for putting up with my stubbornness and impatience. But more so, for reminding me that at 19 I wasn't "grown up". Sure I was an adult by legal standards, but I was far from being done with "growing".

Looking back, I find myself as any adults see the younger version of themselves ...foolish. I laugh about it now. Sure I remember the amazing classes, lectures and presentations that I attended to earn my degrees... but what is more vivid and memorable are the lessons on love.

Love for my peers and love for God. And if any of you are lucky enough to experience the Austrian Study Program you will SURELY learn how to love life in all its forms. I learned that love is a choice and if you don't know love that way, stay at FUS and you will.

As you begin your college journey at FUS. I can't help but find myself envious. I'm not saying it is going to be easy. But as college courses will soon demonstrate...REAL learning is NEVER easy.

June2009, My FUS friends and me... On my wedding day

Hopefully, you won't be as stubborn, impatient or as judgmental as I was. But, even if you are... you will notice what I did, that the love that dominates over FUS' campus will not cease. Another lesson in itself, I suppose.

My advice... be patient. Don't give up on people but take your time. Remember to pray, even if you do it in private (as to avoid being beaten in Mass) and smile, even if its just a little smile every now and then.

Many people find love to be scary and overwhelming. I never really considered myself one of those people, but perhaps I was.

And.... enjoy! Your life is going to be completely flipped upside down whether you like it or not. But that is just the nature of life... it is always changing. As an adult you have the responsibility and opportunity to decide how you would like your life altered, for better or worse.

My husband, also an FUS alum and I

This University is going to teach you something in a couple years that many people spend their whole lives trying to figure out. Its a big, hard, complicated lesson... the sooner you learn it, the better off you'll be.

"What is Love?"

I will end with a quote from St. Catherine of Siena. It sums up what college life, FUS life and life is general is about. Not to mention she was a tight buddy of St Francis and the patron Saint of my sorority.

"Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring" - St. Catherine of Siena.

Decide how you want to endure.

Congratulations on your first day of Orientation... FUS Class of 2015.

PS> The phrase "remember not to show your Four-B's" means... "remember not show off your Back, Belly, Boobs or Butt."