Secret Santa

Why did you want to have everyone come back and do this Secret Santa?

Michael: So this is actually our fourth annual Secret Santa and the first Secret Santa … I actually didn’t live in this dorm. I lived in DuPont, which was an upperclassmen dorm. I was placed there randomly. I just did orientation with this group of people. They called me “Hobo” because I didn’t have a home here. But over the past four years they’ve made William and Mary my home. And they became my best friends and made the college experience amazing. I wanted Secret Santa to happen one last time … in order to see everyone and see how much everyone has changed. I wanted to show everyone that … that’s what makes William and Mary beautiful. Life is about the people you meet and being able to stick with them throughout the years. William and Mary is a place where I met some extraordinary people, and I hope to keep these bonds close for many years to come.

That’s beautiful. Yeah, I’m so glad you found a home with all of these people. That’s awesome. Did you get a good gift tonight?

Yeah, I got this! *Shows scarf*

So do the memories come flooding back when you’re here?

It sure does. We did a lot of goofy things in here.  I remember everything … from making an actual tent inside and watching Game of Thrones to studying econ while people had fencing fights with pool sticks … some of which broke. Some of my friends would have a jam fest once in awhile and we played games here all the time. We would cook big breakfasts together and I would stay over people’s places ‘cause, you know, I didn’t live here. I was just kinda here all the time.

Everyone was just open, which was the best.

That’s cool. Did you expect that coming into William and Mary?

I did not know what to expect. When I came into William and Mary I wasn’t in the best of moods because a lot of things happened to me beforehand. I then decided to make things better and meet new people. Somehow one by one I got to know everyone and then we .. I just .. we were all naturally silly around each other and that’s what really helped out. Some people are hesitant to do something that’s a little different, but everyone here was just so open to new experiences. We were just like, “Yeah, let’s do that crazy thing. Let’s build a tent in the middle of the lounge.” Thanks to my friends, I have learned about various cultures, obtained new perspectives on life, and the best part, eat all sorts of wonderful food.