Morgan Fillion ’24

I never thought that I’d be at a place like Groton. I’ve always been pretty conscious of money, and, for a while, an education wasn’t something you paid for, it was just something offered to you. I got excited when I first started applying for private schools because of the opportunities they offered me, but this didn’t last very long when I realized that the opportunities offered weren't really opportunities for me because no schools were willing to give me the financial aid that I needed. I knew when applying that this wasn’t a huge possibility for me, but it wasn’t a negative thing. I’ve always known how to enjoy myself without money being a factor. Growing up, going out for anything that requires a paid ticket to get into, like the zoo or a waterpark, was a treat. And I definitely have incredible memories from those experiences; but some of my best adventures took place in my backyard and local playgrounds. The very best adventures came from hiking with my Nana and her dog. We’d often go on hikes together on trails nearby, so she and I could spend extra time together. The first thing on the agenda when we arrived at a trail was to find the perfect walking stick. Both my nana and I would search the ground for a stick that was the perfect length and thickness to support us on the journey. My nana would stay with hers the whole hike, but my very excited little self would ditch it shortly after I found it because I was just too good for a stick. Along the way I’d collect rocks I thought were good enough for my collection and aggressively throw away the ones that didn’t make the cut. 

Each hike I had a top destination in my head: the river. I could always hear it coming when we got close, and in my little brain, these were raging rapids, and as soon as the river came into sight, I started planning a route on the highway of rocks–otherwise known as stepping-stones–-that I could travel to get across the river to the other side. My excitement grew the closer we got to the river. As soon as I got there, I started to use my carefully planned path. It usually brought me along the river instead of across it, because making it across would only end my fun. 

I don’t really know what about the river and the rocks was so fun for me, but I can imagine that it was the challenge that came with it. The only thing that mattered to me during these adventures was not falling into the stream below, and I’m sure my nana can attest to the fact that I definitely did fall in more than once. Looking back, however, I can’t remember any moment when I did. I only remember the euphoria I felt on top of those rocks, looking down at the water below. 

At 18 years old, I still love crossing the river on the tops of rocks, and I stay on the lookout for rivers whenever I hike with my family. All of my worries melt away with this simple adventure. When experiencing moments like this, I don’t have to worry about the money spent or the future expenses I might have. It’s simple, the kind of simple I need, the kind of simple I think that we all need. 

I’ve been lucky enough to experience the things at Groton because of the financial aid package I’m able to receive. Groton covers not only my tuition cost, but also the expenses of weekend activities. I’m eternally grateful for this because I’m able to participate in every aspect of the Groton life, yet I wonder sometimes if we all rely too heavily on using money to enjoy ourselves. On surprise holidays many of us pay for buses and spend even more in the array of shopping and activities throughout Boston. On weekends, money is spent on fun games and food trucks. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good food truck as much as all of you do, and I also think there are many other great ways we can enjoy ourselves. 

Since coming here, I’ve been able to make friends with a variety of different economic backgrounds. It was a shock to me to see many people here spend money much easier than myself, and I separated myself because I thought my class would keep me too far behind. When I opened up, I saw I was able to connect and learn more about the ways I see money. I do think hard about the things I’m spending on, but I think it’s important to give yourself a gift every now and then without thinking about how much of an impact it’ll have on your bank account. 

With this, comes a balance. I saw myself get caught up in spending to secure my own happiness, forgetting the childlike wonder in a walk through the woods. When I get caught up in this loop of finances, I ground myself in the moment and take a look around campus. With this campus, comes the faculty families that live here with us. If you know me, or have just seen me around, at some point you’ve seen me with a swarm of faculty kids, and I often get questions about why I entertain them. The simple reason is that I love kids. And that’s definitely true, but I also find comfort in knowing that they don’t care about how much money I have or where I come from, they love my company no matter what. With them I’m able to enjoy things I did as a child, that don’t cost me anything. Sometimes it’s coloring a page in a coloring book and other times it’s a conversation about how little things work and everything in between. These things remind me of the ways I can enjoy myself without worrying about money or the thousand other worries in my life. 

After Groton, we’re all going to move into a world where we don’t have a financial aid package for life. For many people, meeting up with friends at a restaurant isn’t something that’s in the budget. Keep this in mind as you leave here today, and choose other ways to occupy your time. Take a walk through the woods and appreciate the nature we have around us, or spend extra time on the circle with friends until past dark. And in the winter go sledding or curl up and watch a movie. Or maybe one day find your own highway of rocks and enjoy the challenge it takes to keep yourself from falling in and enjoy it when you do.