An opportunity is just around the corner
Do everything you can in and outside of the classroom.
But now I understand why. As graduation nears, I can now reflect on my col
lege experience and realize it was great for me to take advantage of an oppor
tunity that I wish I would have had in high school - getting involved. Life out
side of the classroom taught me more than any course in college. It construct
ed avenues for me to vent my creativity as well as meet exciting people that
may some day help me advance in my career. While clubs are a big part of it,
that’s only the tip of the iceberg - internships, community service and even
study groups have helped me gain the edge I need in order to become success
ful in college.
My point is that every opportunity you sieze opens another door to your
future. You are able to do something that will self-enrich and see more of the
world. It will even help
you with your class
room advancement. And
who can forget contacts
- you will meet some
one who knows some-
. ... Brown who then
• referred me to the
administrative assistant
of the policy office at Penn Dot, where I eventually interned. Through that job,
I met many contacts for future employment in the state and/or references for
other jobs. The chain of events that occur when you open your mind is end
less.
Professor Churchill told me once that for everything you do, you will get
noticed. By this he meant, we receive recognition for all our hard work in one
form or another. Being the assistant editor of the student newspaper made me
grin at this remark. I thought, “ya right, who cares?” But someone does care.
There are more fans of what we do than we are aware of. I feel good that I
was part of such a great team and that I learned invaluable skills that I can use
in a variety of occupations outside of school.
I can look back and be thankful that I worked my ass off, and more impor-
tantly, where it will take me. Believe it or not, hard work is still invaluable to
many, including employers.
But it is important to remember the people who helped me get though the
best and worst years of my life. First would be Linda Meashey from the
Student Support Center. If it weren’t for her telling how to get up from a fall, I
would not be at Penn State. Then I have to thank Adriana Stroh, who kept me
on my toes at every single club meeting with Circle K and the Tarnhelm.
Special thanks to Dr. Peter Kareithi for being a hard-ass but improving my
writing skills immeasurably and reminding me never to give up on journalism.
I have to thank my editor Pete Strella for his encouragement, hard-work ethic
and positive attitude not only here, but at HACC. And finally, my dear friend
By RACHEL SHEPHERD
Assistant Editor
The end is never as satisfying as the journey. To
have achieved everything but to have done so with
out integrity and excitement is to have achieved
nothing.
~ Source Unknown ~
After a year of handling three clubs - two of which
I am the head - a full-course load, a part-time job
and looking for post-graduation employment, I
thought I was going to lose my mind. There were
about ninety-seven times a week when I thought,
why am I doing all of this? I was going insane with
busyness!
one, then you know
them and so on and so
forth. For instance, I
really became close to a
professor at HACC -
Cheryl Wilson. She got
me involved in Circle K
where I met Amy
“Mrs. B” who always taught me to face the music, and my family who helped
me despite all their hardships. Without the “Lindas” or the “Adrianas” the col
lege experience is nothing more than taking classes. It is not just the things
that you do, it is the people that you meet and what those people know to help
you get ahead. If I have any advice to give a college student, it is to look into
every prospect imaginable - you never know where it might take you and
more importantly, what you will learn.
Whenever something comes to an end, we tend to look back and show grati
tude, even if it was something we may not have enjoyed at the time or some
thing we took for granted.
That time has come for me.