There’s one word that, I believe, a significant number of people will agree is pretty terrifying: Responsibility. I capitalize this word because it holds a hefty and widespread significance in my life and the things I do.

I am responsible for maintaining my good grades. I am responsible for my first-year commuters as a Commuter Assistant. I am responsible for writing and editing articles here at The Ionian.

But responsibility is more than just work. I am responsible for maintaining relationships with my friends. I am responsible in dedicating time to my family. I am responsible in taking care of my own mental health.

Frankly, it’s exhausting to be responsible. The signature on my Iona email feels like a paragraph in itself. There are days where I wish I could just log off from my computer and turn off my phone so that I can take a break from the emails, phone calls and text messages I find myself always having to respond to.

There are mornings where I dread having to leave the cozy comfort of my bed, and believe me, I could sleep all day if I really dedicated myself to it. But even on the toughest days, where I wake up at 5:30 a.m. and I don’t go to sleep until after midnight, I can still say that I love the work I do.

I love writing articles for The Ionian. I love arranging interviews with students, faculty members and administrators. I love putting together the content I gather into an article that I can really be proud of. I also really love writing opinions, because I get to talk for a long time about things that are really important to me. And I love talking. Just ask my family. (Hi Momma!)

I love working as a Commuter Assistant. I love when my commuters text me to talk or stop me on my way to class just to say hello. I love when the Commuter Assistants host an event and I see members of my cohort there, enjoying themselves and their Iona experience.

I love working as an orientation leader, upholding the legacy of Edmund Rice and helping those incoming students to get a taste of the amazing opportunities they’re going to be able to have at Iona.

Most importantly, I feel like I am a part of something larger than myself. I feel like I am moving the world.

And yeah, that’s cliché. But my love for Iona and the experiences it has given me makes me happy beyond belief. There is a deep-seated satisfaction in my bones at the end of a good day of hard work.

So maybe having responsibilities is tough. It requires you to wake up early and stay up late and always make sure you are putting your friendliest face on. But those same responsibilities give me a sense of accomplishment, and I truly feel like they’ve set me on the path to do even more amazing things in life.