Junior Retreat Reflection

The+Class+of+2024

The Class of 2024

Kate Maidy, Student Life Section Editor

A few weeks ago, Marymount had the annual class retreats. While the Freshmen and Sophomores stayed on campus, the Juniors and Seniors went to off-campus facilities. I remember hearing about the “famous” Junior Retreat as a Freshman and always looking forward to my time. Now that I am a current Junior that just attended retreat, I can honestly say that it was a life changing and memorable experience. 

The Class of 2024 really had it unlucky from day one: Zoom classes, mask mandates, loss of Marymount traditions, and most importantly, no social interaction. Zoom and hybrid classes did not allow us to bond altogether. Sophomore year was also difficult, because it was our first traditional high school year and we were all trying to navigate our way through classes.

As Juniors, many of us, including myself, were very determined to bring our class together. I was anxiously waiting for retreat and optimistic that our class would make an effort to bond. 

I can now say that our time at retreat paid off. Retreat provided a safe space for many of us to be vulnerable and share our deepest thoughts. I felt a tremendous impact on myself throughout each activity. Seeing my friends speak openly about their worries made me realize that you never know what someone is going through. Looking across the room, I could see a lot of empathy in my classmates. I think after this retreat, many of us understand the importance of circumstances and how that shapes a person’s characteristics. 

The bonfire!

A moment that stood out to me was when we had a mini prayer service and were all lying on the floor. We were all laughing and simply enjoying each other’s presence. My talented classmate sang one of my favorite songs by Fleetwood Mac, “Landslide.” As I looked around the room, I felt that I had created lifelong and indestructible bonds with my classmates. 

I am so incredibly grateful that Marymount has provided me with such a loving and supportive environment, and I feel that the Junior retreat proved just that. I cannot wait to develop stronger relationships with my classmates and I hope we can all work closely to “lego” of the beef. We got this Class of 2024!