When I arrived at the newly-built Robert M. Smith Student Center in 2012 for OMD’s JumpStart, I had no idea what I had gotten myself into.
My family left me, my friends left me and I was all alone.
I remember sitting in my overly-decorated dorm room, and wondering, what do I do? That’s when it hit me.
One day in Fyrst Seminar with Dr. Quinn, all of the communication-related organizations came to speak to all the scared freshmen, and one organization that caught my eye was The Rocket.
That’s when a light bulb appeared above my head. I knew I wanted to write.
I even remember the first story I wrote. I interviewed Dr. Mark Brazitis about a book that he was writing. My writing was terrible, but I knew there was room for improvement.
Fast forward one year, and I had my first interview for a position on the staff. The only thing I can remember from that was me saying the horrifying statement, “I can bake cookies. I’ll bake cookies for you all.” After I said that, I knew it was a no for me (que Randy Jackson’s voice).
Fast forward another year, I became the Assistant News Editor, and I learned so much about writing a hard news story, which not only strengthened my news writing skills, but my overall skills as a journalist. I was blessed to have earned a promotion as Assistant News Editor, and I will cherish that position forever.
Now, being the campus life editor, I’ve learned a lot, not only about myself as a writer, but about other people as well. I’ve learned about the LGBTQ+ community and people of different ethniticies and races. I’ve learned that there is more than one way to do something and I’ve learned that everyone is beautifully different and unique.
I’ve learned more from The Rocket than I have from any of my classes, and for that, I’m forever grateful. I’ve been lucky to experience the amazing work that my coworkers and friends have done, and the work that they will continue to do. When I first came on staff, I didn’t know how long I was going to last, but looking back now, I feel stupid for even considering quitting as an option.
The Rocket has been more than just a job, it’s been a rollercoaster and an experience of a lifetime. I couldn’t think of a better organization to join on campus. With writing 108 articles, this job has prepared me to go out into the real world and pursue my dream.
To the whole staff, I just want to say thank you for everything. Thanks for not giving up on me, and thank you for rehiring me after my quite and awkward stage of being assistant news editor. Thank you for giving me a little family in Slippery Rock University, and thanks for being great friends.
I will cherish all of the memories: whether it be the personality quizzes, “alright,” the budget meetings or the crazy Thursday nights.
Thank you.
