Onyx Anneau Fall 2021

THE WOODS TODAY

As an anxious freshman, I had no idea what my journey at The Woods would entail. After getting moved in, saying goodbye to my parents, and trying to wipe away a few tears, I sat in a ballroom, full of anxious freshmen, in what felt like a crisis. Flash forward four years, after graduating in May of 2021 with a degree in English, I was able to find a career doing what I wanted to — write. Just a year before my graduation, the world was faced with a life- altering global pandemic. This caused me to second-guess my goals of what I wanted to do after college. Inspired to find a path, I contacted a connection from The Woods and began an internship at RJL Solutions, an Indiana government affairs and communications firm headquartered in Terre Haute. It is there I would find my niche among successful Woods alumni. I was given the opportunities to thrive in a professional capacity and expand my skills beyond writing about 20th-century American literature, though I still enjoy it. It was also there I was

able to find the career that I love. Saint Mother Theodore Guerin once said, “It is never too late to begin to do well.” In my own time, guided by The Woods, the anxious wide-eyed freshmen found success after college. So, here I am today, working at a company with Woods alumni; living with one of my best friends, another Woods alumna; visiting my family, some of which are Woods alumni; and making plans with friends; almost all of which are Woods alumni. Even out of college, I am surrounded by the Providence that has helped me succeed professionally, personally and mentally. College will challenge you, harder than many things ever will, especially during a global pandemic, but the spirit of The Woods will prevail and allow you to do well.

Anwyn — Anwyn Payonk ’21

3