Seasons of Love

“Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Journeys to plan
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life
Of a woman or a man?”

-Johnathan Larson

My name is Felicia Cosentino.

For those of you that don’t know, the song and title of my blog “Seasons of Love” comes from one of my favourite musicals, Rent. From a very young age, this song’s message has resonated with the values my family has instilled in me over the years.

I have always been mindful of living in the present moment. That is what I hope to share on my blog throughout this semester. Although mindfulness is such an important message, it is very hard to accomplish. We live in such a fast-paced society. Everything is automated, and at our very fingertips. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. However, I find it so refreshing to take a step back from big moments in my life, unplug and soak it all in.

I am so excited to get to know each and every one of you this semester and look forward to embarking on this blogging journey with all of you!

Here are a couple fun facts about me…

1. I am a tried and true Leo and read my horoscope every morning.
2. I am very passionate about the performing arts and have been in a variety of dramatic productions such as Footloose, The Sound of Music & Aladdin.
3. Over the past few years I have grown to absolutely love hot yoga.
4. I recently discovered that I have a lot of food intolerances which is challenging considering my Scottish and Italian heritage.
5. My middle name is Amalia, after my paternal great-grandmother.

Let’s dig a little deeper…

Who am I?

That is definitely a loaded question. I find myself discovering new things about “who I am” daily. However, I truly believe that the past couple years have been pivotal to my personal growth and self-progression.

Coming to University I was daunted, delicate and ultimately unaware of what was to come as countless thoughts consumed my mind at Brescia’s Foundress Day Ceremony.

Who can relate?

Everything was both frightening and exhilarating, as I dreamt about the journey to come. With time and encouragement; my shy, first year self began to bloom. I gained confidence, maturity, and the wealth of knowledge that would support my continued success.

Flourishing Friendships

I met some of my greatest friends in residence last year whom I am living off campus with presently. These ladies are some of the most genuine, supportive people I have been blessed to know. I am so thankful that our paths crossed and look forward to the memories we will make going forward. In addition, my boyfriend of 4 years, Andrew, is a major light in my life. He never fails to make me smile and reminds me to live life to the fullest. My sister, Sierra has made all my days brighter since the day she was born when I was only two. Being able to walk through life with her and experience the memories we’ve had together is something that I’ll cherish forever.

Passion Projects

I have always been committed to extracurricular activities and coming to University was no exception. I love getting involved because it provides an outlet to make connections with others and allows me to share my passion for social justice, community service, and the development of women with my peers. I am extremely passionate about women’s rights and female empowerment. As soon as I stepped onto Brescia’s campus I felt an immediate sense of community. As a woman pursuing a double major in accounting and leadership with goals to enter the business world, I am painfully aware of the obstacles and discrimination that stand in my way. In order to tackle these challenges, it is so important to foster our strength as women and I believe Brescia does just that. Keeping this in mind, I am driven to pursue my passion in accounting while simultaneously making a difference in my community.

As Queen Bey said, “Who run the world?” GIRLS!

For the past year and a half, I have been working at an accounting firm in order to gain a greater sense for the field. As an administrative assistant and tax apprentice, I assisted the firm’s partners with data entry as well as the preparation and submission of personal and corporate income tax returns. This was a very fulfilling experience that not only allowed me to grow, but also challenged me as a person and as a student.

Mindfulness in Motion

As time goes on, I value mindfulness through my various lived experiences. Specifically, last summer when I took a self-funded trip to India with The Me to We Organization. The purpose of this mission trip was to explore gender inequality issues and to help build a school in an impoverished community. The wellbeing of women and children is a very important subject to me. My hope was to volunteer my time to help make change in the lives of others. Overall, my trip was impactful in ways I cannot fully explain. I was challenged to learn by living and am left with a renewed sense of passion, peace, and joy for life. I was able to gain a greater appreciation and gratitude for all that I am blessed with. I hope to continue with this mentality, investing in my relationships and honing my sense of purpose within my community.

In many ways, my life experiences, the change I have encountered and the lessons my family have instilled in me have broadened my perspective on what is important in life. As the seasons change, so have I. My mentality has switched from being solely focused on schoolwork and the future to a more realistic view, building relationships with people and living in the moment. While I will always be a dedicated planner, these memorable moments exemplified the benefits of taking life one day at a time and reinforced the idea that sometimes no plan is the best plan as we approach every season.

Through all kinds of weather be mindful, be present, be you, because this is me.

Photo Credits

1. Featured Gif on Homepage: My Own
2. My Own
3. My Own
4. My Own
5. My Own
6. My Own
7. My Own