After a year of full submersion in the biological sciences, my sophomore year I decided to take a leap and join something not so science heavy. During the 2018 Fall Activities Expo, I was hopping from booth to booth with a friend, eventually stumbling over to the Daily Collegian. After a productive talk with those running the booth and joining the Collegian’s email list, I found myself at a Collegian meeting in the office. Newspaper clippings on the walls and new faces greeted me everywhere I looked. That very first meeting, all of us were broken apart into what sections we might be considering writing for.

I went with the arts and living section to learn more about it. The discussions happening in that meeting reminded me of all the creative writing I did before entering college. Writing that I forgot in the midst of learning cellular pathways at a microscopic scale, basic chemistry and other science topics that still overwhelm my brain to this day. With all my previous creative writing works washing over my mind, I decided that I would become a member of the arts and living section, then and there at that first meeting.

Two years later and I am still happy with my decision to join. The arts section of the Collegian gave me an opportunity to re-explore my interest in poetry and music, and gave me a much-needed break from my classes that ranged from the human immune system and plant pathogens to learning about viruses and designing DNA primers. Being a part of this section also gave me a much-needed escape from the pandemic taking a hold on the lives of myself and those around me. The arts section’s weekly Monday meetings on zoom kept me going senior year, especially when I felt an incredible weight smothering me, and disrupting the foundation that I once thought would catch me if I fell.

I am so grateful that I took the opportunity to find and stay with the Daily Collegian and all the amazing people a part of it. Through my time writing here, I was able to rediscover my voice I had hid from myself upon entering college. Through the Collegian, my rediscovered voice was heard. With graduation approaching, I know for certain I am taking my voice with me to show instead of hide. With science being one side of the coin that is my life, writing in the arts section was definitely a part of the other side. I am no longer going to hide my voice. I hope with time, I am able to further show where my voice goes and flows. If you are a University of Massachusetts undergraduate, don’t be shy, come join the Daily Collegian. You just may refind your voice, like I.

Alexandra Molloy can be reached at [email protected].