From the moment a student walks through the doors of St. Jean Baptiste High School on her first day of ninth grade, she is joining a long legacy of strong women that stretches back almost a century: women who feel a life-long connection with each other and to the school; women who loved their time at St. Jean’s so much that they give to the school so that the next generation of young women can have the same opportunities they had.
The spirit of giving-back begins with our youngest alumnae. In January, college-aged alums took time during their Christmas breaks to return to St. Jean's for a casual lunch with current seniors. During a question and answer panel, they shared tips on everything from making new friends in college, to dorm room must-haves, dealing with homesickness, and making the most of their final precious months of high school.
Their words of wisdom included:
- "Surround yourself with people who have the same values and want to succeed."
- "Being shy is expensive. if you don't put yourself out there it will cost you in the long run. Get to know your professors, your peers, those in your major."
- "Bond with others in your major. You're all going to be suffering together!"
- "Putting yourself in uncomfortable positions is part of growing up."
- "Jeanites are competent and confident. Study, prepare, know what you're going to say, and put your hand up!"
- "Prepare for the worst but expect the best. I was prepared to feel isolated. I was prepared to be homesick. I was prepared to feel completely out of my element. But you're resilient. You have everything that you need within you. Show other people that, and you're going to be okay.
A through line of their remarks was the role that sisterhood, which had been nurtured during their years at St. Jean's, played in sustaining them as they navigated their new college environments--whether it was keeping in touch with their former classmates and teachers or being comfortable seeking out new female friendships in their new phase of life.