Wow. The past four years have gone by so quickly, and I still remember the day I fell in love with Trinity. It was Trinity 360 and a beautiful sunny April morning. Touring campus, I knew I had to be a Trinity Tiger. Trinity had everything I wanted: small classes, a close community atmosphere, amazing professors, a stellar education Masters program, Greek life and the opportunity for me to stay involved in theatre and choir. I spent four months eagerly anticipating Move-In Day 2009. My new roommate, Diana, actually recognized me from across the Bell Center parking lot before we even met in person.

Despite the academic challenges, tears, arguments with friends and hours spent at coffee shops or Panera writing papers for Play Structure and a few other classes I would honestly prefer to forget now, my time at Trinity and the relationships I have formed have changed me for the better. The laughter, fellowship, movie nights, I Chi and cast parties in addition to hundreds of hours spent in the theatre building have provided me with many happy memories that I will cherish.

Here at Trinity, I have had the opportunity to work with elementary and middle school students at local schools, both stage-manage and act in Trinity Theatre mainstages and sing in four Christmas concerts and Vespers, two of my favorite Trinity traditions. I also had the chance to share the stage with three Broadway stars, the San Antonio Symphony and phenomenal Trinity singers in the Broadway Rocks Concert in February of 2012, which was a dream come true.

Through my classes and extracurricular activities, I have been able to work with some amazing professors and students with whom I hope I will keep in contact after I graduate. I will value these relationships forever because I was given so many opportunities that I never thought I would have.

Attending Trinity also brought me to a wonderful group of women who love pink and black and laugh a lot. My Phi Delta Kappa sisters are some of the best women I have ever met. They have given me advice, loved me and supported me in theatre whether it was acting in “Crazy Locomotive” or stage-managing and just generally in life. I could not be more thankful for the sisterhood and amazing leadership opportunities I gained from joining this organization.

I am grateful that I will still be part of Trinity starting in July for the Elementary Education Masters in Teaching program. Though I will still be on campus, I will truly miss the familiarity of the theatre lobby, Northrup 314, Coates, the library and the music building. Leaving my theatre classes and professors, TUPS friends and my Phi Delta Kappa sisters is sad but I am excited for whatever happens next. That sounds cliché, but it’s true.

To the underclassmen: value your time and the relationships you have here because you will be in our graduation apparel sooner than you may realize. Believe me.

Elle Norman is graduating with degree in theatre and will be returning to Trinity in July to pursue a Masters of Arts in teaching.