Reminiscing on Belonging

Posted July 14, 2016 by Tara Pealer

Sometimes it takes a while to feel like you belong somewhere and that you’re on the right path. Sometimes you search for reasons and moments and days where you can puzzle together hints that you aren’t chasing a silver lining that isn’t there.

Sometimes it takes a costume contest, two glasses of wine and a lot of fake confidence to find those signs.

I applied to Simmons sight unseen. The first time I saw Simmons I was applying for a job at the writing center and then rushing off to meet my roommate for the first time. The next time I saw it I was at orientation. Simmons, as a campus, had a hard time making an impression on me, and at orientation, since I’m a notorious introvert, making conversation was pretty hard. We talked about the weather and where we were from. Invigorating discussions.

I like to joke that when I saw the short hair and quirky dresses that everyone was wearing, I knew I was in the right place. My old boss, when I told her this, called it “the new library dress code”.

I still didn’t feel like I belonged though, and I spent a month wandering Boston alone, getting lost and calling up a friend who went to Northeastern to go to events with me.

That is, until Banned Books week. I’m passionate about Banned Books, as is anyone who goes to Library School, and I’m passionate about dressing up, and I’m even more passionate about winning prizes for dressing up.

Friday, October 2nd, 2015, LISSA held a Freedom to Read costume party, with prizes for the best costume. I had one in my closet from the time I almost won a Great Gatsby Costume Contest. Basically, I figured, all I had to do was show up.

It’s a seven minute walk from the E line to Simmons and I remember chanting under my breath, “If you want to make a splash you have to jump”, which is my advice to myself when I’m doing something new.

Like I said, fake confidence.

At any rate, I was early, and nervously sipping wine, talking to the one or two people from my classes who were also early.

Then the night picked up, and as more people arrived, we were talking about books, and classes, and assignments, and finally, it hit me.

I was in the right place. That night, two of the other party attendees and I made plans to go to the Boston Book Festival together.

They’re now my best friends. I can’t imagine Boston or Simmons without them.

So #mysimmons moment wasn’t when I saw the green cupola. It wasn’t sitting at a table talking about the commuter rail.  It wasn’t sitting in classes and falling in love with the program.

It involved me in a heavily sequined flapper dress, a group of amazingly wonderful people and…was it three glasses of wine? Because what I love about SLIS isn’t what it does, or where it’s going. It’s the people involved on this wonderful two year ride.