I Swear This Isn’t Just About a Guy With a Guitar

One of my favorite things to do during the semester is talk to random people. It’s honestly the highlight of my semester sometimes. Recently, on a Thursday night while I was in The Griffin office, I decided to stroll around the hallways for a bit, trying to get my legs moving after a long day of classes and hard seats. I came across this room I had never seen before – the CrescenDON’Ts club room, some kind of musical haven. Inside was this guy who kind of resembled a young Hayden Christensen. He was sitting on a couch, singing and playing his guitar to himself. Naturally, I walked in and asked him who he was and what this room even was. After he educated me, I proceeded to ask him the daunting question that most artists dread being asked on the spot: “Can you sing for me?”

Moral of the story: yes, the young Hayden Christensen sang “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur for me on his guitar.

Despite running low on time because he had to go to a Sabres game, he still sat down and took his time to sing this song for someone he didn’t know at all. And that was more than just a kind act – it was intentional. Now, am I sharing this story just to highlight this random cute guy who sang a gut-wrenching love song to me in a dim-lit room with perfect lighting? Of course not! No, but seriously – it was really nice to sit and connect with someone I’d never met and to have the privilege of him sharing his artistry with me.

College is a big place full of noise, due dates and crash-outs – an environment where it’s incredibly easy to forget what actually matters. It’s not about our résumés, experiences or GPA, but about the things we can’t schedule. That fifteen-minute moment reminded me that the memories that stick aren’t the ones we plan – they’re the ones where someone chooses to be present even when they don’t have to be.

Getting to walk into a room, sit with someone I’ve never met and leave feeling like a small piece of who they are stayed with me (and vice versa) reminds me how valuable these moments really are. Maybe a year from now, I won’t remember the exact song he sang or which room we were in – but I will remember how he stopped what he was doing, delayed his plans and chose to be present with me in a moment he could’ve easily rushed through.

As winter break approaches, The Griffin encourages everyone to choose presence. Choose to put down your phones, step away from the emails, take some time off work and direct that energy toward the people who matter – your family, your kids, your friends and yes, even your neighbors. Choose to listen to the stories your parents retell every year; even if they’ve forgotten they’ve told them before, let their words and memories live again. Choose to be in the moments that slip away when we aren’t paying attention.

And when the next semester rolls around, don’t be afraid to talk to random people, join random clubs or go to random events – even if they have nothing to do with your major. Look beyond your résumé and look for human connection. And who knows – maybe you’ll find yourself sitting in a dim-lit room, listening to some good-looking person with a guitar and the voice of an angel, reminding you of what actually matters.