Graduation

“Time is not a line but a series of now-points.” -Taisen Deshi

Maru

Life is made up of moments. Your first kiss, the first time a

pet dies, your first days of school. All these, and a thousand

bigger and smaller memories, make up my life.

So when I think over my time here at CSU, it only seems

appropriate that certain moments – some important, some less so –

jump to mind. Some are personal while some are moments everybody

remembers, although maybe differently. I don’t remember my first

day of classes-not to mention what classes I took last spring-but

what amazes me are the little moments I do remember.

“No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are

made. Destiny is made known silently.” -Agnes de Mille

I remember driving down Meridian the first day I came to visit

campus, and the feeling I got that this campus might actually be

home, unlike all the others I had seen. I remember the first day I

toured the Collegian newsroom and how big and intimidating it

seemed, but how exciting and electric it felt at the same time.

I remember hugging my Dad before my family drove away, leaving

me standing on the sidewalk outside Eddy HHHhall trying to stop

myself from crying so I could go to work.

I remember waking up in Newsom Hall on Sept. 11, 2001, to my

roommate telling me two planes had flown into the World Trade

Center in New York. I remember what the student center looked and

sounded like that day-crowded and silent. I remember my family

asking me to come home, and both wanting to and not wanting to at

the same time. I told them I had class and a deadline at the

Collegian, and my father said no, I didn’t, that nothing would ever

be the same again.

But it was, at least similar. Some times I remember, other times

seem like a blur of classes and work … always work.

“It is only when I am doing my work that I feel truly alive.”

-Federico Fellini

The one thing that never changed and was always there was my

work at the Collegian. When I came to college everybody said, “Get

involved, you’ll be happier.” So I did. I threw myself into working

here. And of all the valuable things I’ve learned in classes,

nothing has been as valuable or a memorable as my time here.

I remember my first front page story, my first really big crime

story, the first time I had to run a correction.

I remember the first time I met the editor in chief my freshman

year, the first time I interviewed former CSU President Al Yates,

and how quiet and in control he seemed. Some of these memories are

just that – memories – while others bring up emotions like

excitement or fear or dread.

I think everybody probably has one defining thing they’ll

remember about their time in college and more often than not I’ll

bet it wasn’t class. For me, it was working at the Collegian; more

specifically, working with the people I’ve met here.

“Sooner or later, everything gets down to people.” -Don

Davis

Which is, as always, what all of my time at CSU comes down to.

The friends I made (not thousands, admittedly, but good ones), the

people I’ve worked with and for, and the professors I’ve had.

That’s what I’ll remember from my time at CSU.

“We must always have old memories and young hopes.” – Arsene

Houssage