When I enrolled, and even as a student, I never anticipated the immense power of the Wellesley alumnae network. Sure, the campus literature speaks of the connections you forge with fellow students and the community of graduates you'll be part of for life. I could not have possibly imagined that the network of my fellow graduates would be such an integral part of my daily life.

On any given day, we alums exchange information, support, news, perspectives, and advice through in-person and virtual means. Whether through friendships forged on campus or after, through local alumnae clubs and special interest groups, or through online platforms such as Facebook, I am actively linked to my Wellesley siblings in some way every day. It's a constant flow of connection and information; in the space of an afternoon, I might answer questions from a recent graduate interested in starting a career in international development work; get advice on shade-loving plants for a specific area of my backyard from garden-savvy alums; buy tickets to a faculty speaker event hosted by my local alumnae club; and exchange emails linking a classmate traveling to Rwanda and a friend living there so they can connect in person.

The trust we place in one another is paramount to the success of our connections. I've had young alums housesit while I am on vacation despite having never met them before, vouched for fellow alums to help them get jobs, and even volunteered up my mother's garage for a sibling heading off on an extended trip around South America and looking to store her car somewhere. I've been given keys to a classmate's apartment to crash there while house-hunting although we barely knew each other, developed extremely strong and supportive friendships through connections made online, and gotten much-needed support through breakups or professional challenges via Wellesley Facebook groups. Wherever we are, and in whatever format, there is a constant exchange of love and support from within our Wellesley family.

That connection sustains me. It helps me to thrive having thousands of siblings just a few keyboard strokes away. They say you can't go home again, but I feel like I've never left when Wellesley is all around me every day.