Saying “this is so cringe” while smiling the whole time.
SAYING “THIS IS SO CRINGE” WHILE SMILING THE WHOLE TIME.
Follow for more shared reflections on our unique journey.
Remember those first weeks? The whirlwind of orientation, the earnest attempts at icebreakers, the slightly baffling rituals that felt… well, a bit much. We’ve all been there, standing in a circle, trying to make eye contact, perhaps secretly rolling our eyes while outwardly participating. It’s a quintessential first-year experience, especially within our institutions. The traditions, from the most earnest welcome speeches to the slightly absurd group cheers, often landed somewhere on the spectrum of "this is so cringe." Yet, didn't we all, deep down, smile?
That initial awkwardness, that shared vulnerability, paradoxically forged some of our earliest connections. The seemingly mundane or even embarrassing moments became the glue. Whether it was a campus-wide scavenger hunt, a peculiar song you had to learn, or a late-night run that felt like a primal scream of both joy and exhaustion, these were the rites of passage. They felt strange, perhaps a little forced, yet they were undeniably ours.
For those of you navigating these first experiences now, embrace the cringe. It’s part of the fabric. For alumni, you know exactly what I mean. Looking back, those very moments we once internally groaned about are often the ones we recount with a nostalgic chuckle, the ones that cemented our belonging. They are the peculiar, often unspoken language of our shared past, a testament to the fact that even in places of profound intellect, humanity finds its most endearing, and sometimes most awkward, expressions. These traditions, loved or hated, ultimately define a part of our journey, transforming from mere events into indelible memories.