EASTON, Mass. – The 2025-2026 Senior Reflections is a series of annual collections. Senior representatives of teams at Stonehill have been invited to contribute and reflect on their personal experiences over their four-year careers at Stonehill - both on and off the playing surface. 

Lily Barrett, Women's Ice Hockey
 
Why Stonehill?
I had always wanted to go to school out of state for college. Coming from Minnesota, I was extremely excited to get the chance to explore a school I had never heard of before like Stonehill. During my visit in the summer of 2021, the campus was eye-catching, and it felt like home away from home.

Aside from the campus itself, the people here really made the place. On my official tour, I met Father John Denning walking outside as well as tons of welcoming staff members. The welcoming community made me feel wanted as a young adult ready to go off to college. After my first visit, I could really see myself as a part of the small and close-knit community.

How Has Stonehill Shaped You As A Person?
Stonehill has had a major influence on the person that I am today. The social aspect of college has taught me the importance of building relationships and making connections. I've made some of my best memories with lifelong friends that I will carry with me forever. I learned the true value of time management and pride in hard work through the academic aspect of college life. Staying motivated and disciplined in school will ultimately help me in my future career and in all areas of my life.

When I first came to Stonehill College, I was a very shy girl who found value in others' opinions. I shut myself off from possible connections with people who wanted to be around me because I was entirely focused on fitting in with those who didn't. This took a large toll on my mental health, and after a while, I realized that the relationships I had were surface level and not beneficial to me. Once I started to open myself up to those who brought positivity and light to my life, my entire college experience changed. I started to truly enjoy my time and made the best friends and memories. I became someone unafraid to stand out and work to build connections with new people. The change in mindset benefited me immensely.

Best Moments
The most rewarding experience athletically at Stonehill has been winning our conference championship in my sophomore year. Winning the New England Women's Hockey Alliance with my team was the most bonding experience. We all put our differences aside to come together in order to accomplish our goal of winning, and it paid off. After our win, I had never felt more part of a group in my life, and we had so much love for each other in that moment. There was nothing like singing our win song in the locker room after the OT game winner.

Academically, the best moment I've had at Stonehill is declaring my major as accounting. I came into school not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, so it was a big moment when I found a passion and interest in my accounting classes. I became a lot more motivated in my schoolwork because I found a career path that I wanted to continue and excel in. Even after declaring, I found out that I had made the dean's list after doing well in my first core accounting class, and that was a huge moment.

Lessons Learned
The most important thing I learned about myself is how hard I can work. I never thought I would be able to accomplish the things that I have, and I never could've imagined how my life has turned into what it is today. It's crazy to think that when you control your effort and attitude, everything will fall into place. With a strong work ethic and positive mindset, I was able to push past physical and mental obstacles that I thought would've kept me from accomplishing my biggest goals. I'm proud to say that I was able to overcome so much while being away from home for four years.

Leadership, making connections, and staying present to make memories are skills that I will take with me for the rest of my life. Finding the courage to stand out and surround myself with new people who impact my life in positive ways has made a huge difference at Stonehill, and I hope to keep doing it in my post-Stonehill days. I also hope to exhibit leadership qualities of motivation, self-disciplines, reliability, and good communication to excel as a Stonehill graduate. Staying present in the moment while also reflecting on the good times has been beneficial to me throughout school. Finding balance in the past and future helps me acknowledge where I've been and hope to go while appreciating where I currently am.
 
To view the past Senior Reflections visit this site: 2025-2026 Senior Reflections. 

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