Senior Superlatives and Learning New Ways to Communicate

Senior year, I won the superlative of Most Talkative. I was a bit embarrassed by this title when my best friend won Best Looking. My sister won the talkative title two years before me, so it was only fitting that I held on the family legacy. My parents joked that nobody got a word in edgewise at the dinner table. It was not until I was the yearbook advisor ten years later, when the Most Loquactious (the title was now elevated) award went to the most outgoing, inclusive member of the senior class, and I realized I had it all wrong. Being talkative wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it meant I was communicating and connecting.

So often in life, it’s how we frame things that allow us to perceive something in a positive or negative light. On a recent podcast, the host said she viewed me as an optimist turning “lemons into margaritas.” That might be the best compliment I have received in a while. Lemonade is sweet, but let’s be real- when life is rough, a margarita hits the spot. Afterall, when we turn lemons into lemonades we might be sprinkling in a dose of toxic positivity, which is not what anyone needs in a disaster. Now, I am not saying tequila is the answer, but thinking outside of the box is.

Through my leadership work, I have come into contact with some amazing people over the last several years. These connections happen organically in classes and at the university. However, I have pushed myself a bit out of my comfort zone to forge connections through platforms like LinkedIn. Thought leaders thrive in spaces like this, and I have learned and grown so much by reading, speaking, and communicating with them. I have learned that communication can look a whole lot different, and maybe that is a good thing.

In an age where AI is communicating for us, I think it is essential that we learn to tap into our own style. It is vital that we embrace our strengths and redefine what it means to connect. So often our circles are defined by our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our kids’ sporting events. While those relationships are valuable, there is also the option to branch out and learn and grow in new spaces that align with our values and our goals– an online forum, a class at your local university, an exercise group…all of these options hold value and opportunity.

Communication and connection are the epicenter for growth. They allow us to look at our life through various lenses. In 1995, I thought- maybe I needed to talk less. In 2025, I realize that communicating and connecting people is my superpower…and it is my sister’s, too. We might be talkative, but we have learned to get others talking and growing, too.