Hi. I’m Jenna, and … I’m an out-of-state Gustie.

This is the part where you make me feel better by greeting me en-masse with a sympathetic “Hi, Jenna.” Come on, I know there’s only like 400 of you, but really. Courtesy, people.

Thank you. Now. I’m an out-of-state Gustie. I’m not here to vent about how impossible it is to pronounce town names up here (“ma-TOE-meh-dee” and “wey-ZAH-ta” are incorrect, by the way). Nor am I here to reminisce on those awkward weekends I spent during my first year hanging out in the laundry room, watching soapy socks spin languidly in the washer and silently cursing the fact that driving home and dropping your hamper on the front step while mom forces a fresh cookie on you is not exactly feasible. Fun times.

No, today I would like to share with you a positive experience. I’ve made some serious progress on my perspective lately from a really unexpected source of inspiration. No, save your applause until the end, please. We’ll get through this together, you’re all great.

I’ll just say it: Family Weekend. Not the most thrilling of times, as I’m sure you can all attest to. Actually, now that I’m a senior, family weekend kind of freaks me out—seeing that many kids and middle-aged adults on campus makes me feel like I’m at a really boring carnival, or some sort of Alliance of Midwestern Swedes convention.

I know it’s a good opportunity for the Minnesota first-years to see their families and show off how well they’ve adjusted to college life, but for those of us whose parents weren’t willing to drive seven hours for the privilege of being led around by their daughter for two days, it got a little tiresome.

Fortunately most of my friends are independent enough now to be equally as nonplussed with the whole affair as I’ve always been. It’s a little difficult to do the infinity-and-one things you have planned for the weekend when campus is flooded with the unassuming masses.

But a funny thing happened this year. As I walked down the hallowed halls of the Caf, begrudging the numerous elbows knocking coffee all over my shirtsleeves, I discovered the true meaning of Family Weekend. Cue the heavenly chorus!

Seriously, though. Maybe it was the scalding beverage soaking my hands, but I found myself thinking about my previous night’s shenanigans. See, it was Saturday, and I wanted to go out, but my roommates were really tired and had work in the morning. So I decided to go out with some other friends, which prompted the following all-too-familiar conversation:

“So…where are you going?”

“Patty’s.”

“With who?”

“Some friends.”

“And how are you getting there?”

“I dunno. They’re all driving, but there’s not a lot of room, so I think I’m just going to walk there.”

“Very funny. Let me talk to him.”

“But—“

“Phone.”

“It’s not a big deal, really!”

“I am not letting you walk to the bar by yourself on a Saturday night! No way.”

Who needs parents when you’ve got roommates with maternal instincts, right?

But really, that’s what college is for. Family Weekend eventually becomes Family 24/7 as you start to figure out your place in the world and phase out the biological voices of reason in your life for a more select group of social and moral influences.

In friendlier terms, you find your people. And that’s the message I have for us non-Minnesotan Gusties tonight. Heck, all Gustavus students. Family Weekend shouldn’t just be about reintroducing the family you left behind when you came here. It should also be about recognizing the new family that you came into.  God bless us, every one.

Thank you, thank you, I appreciate your support, I really do. The next meeting of Out of State Students Anonymous will be after Thanksgiving. Alaskans, I’ll expect to hear a few stories from you next time! But try not to complain about how warm it is here. The Floridians might mutiny.