Another semester has come and gone here at LMC, and while many students will enjoy winter break before continuing their academic efforts next semester, some students, such as myself, are moving on to the next step and saying goodbye to LMC.
When I started attending LMC back in 2005, I had no idea what I really wanted to do with my life. I set my focus on general education classes, hoping I’d eventually figure out my plans for a future. I do recommend that people do the same if they are unsure of their major. Don’t take unnecessary classes if you don’t have to. I knew that I wanted to be a writer, but I never thought it was actually something I could do. I suppose I lacked confidence, but I wasn’t going to let myself live in fear. I had to be sure, so I enrolled in creative writing and advanced English courses to make sure I had what it took before starting journalism courses.
My path in college took a lot longer than I had planned, but in this economy where you have to work full-time just to take care of yourself, people tend to take longer than two to four years to get through school.
When I enrolled in Journalism 10 and Journalism 35, I immediately knew this was the direction I wanted to go in my life. It was a bit scary at first, since I’m generally a shy person when meeting new people, but it was the encouragement and belief in me from my instructor Cindy McGrath that really pushed me towards discovering my inner journalist. LMC’s journalism program is a two-year process that enables students to learn every aspect of newspaper production, serving on the Experience staff and working under the same instructors each semester, often having the same classmates with you each semester along the way. Spending that amount of time with the same people allows students to really be part of a team that they actually care about, develop close relationships and feel like a family.
There is no value I can attach to this experience. It’s a rich, wonderful feeling I am glad to have been a part of, and I will take this with me when I leave and cherish it for the rest of my life. I owe a lot of thanks to the current and former staff of the LMC Experience and my instructors; Curtis Corlew who has taught me a lot about Adobe InDesign and the importance of photos and their important coexistence with stories, though I never actually enrolled in any of his courses; and I must again thank Cindy McGrath who has helped me find my place in life and offered more support and care than I could have ever hoped for. Cindy is a wonderful instructor and adviser; she has a knack for helping people find their strengths and working with them to improve on weaknesses. If there is anyone who will cheer for you on the road to success, it’s Cindy.
I am grateful for working with Samuel Gonzales, the previous editor-in-chief who I confidently know has a great future ahead of him, and Peter Costanza, the current editor-in-chief who rose up and took charge when a new set of staffers arrived at the beginning of this semester.
I’ve made a lot of friends here and I look forward to maintaining these relationships as I move on to whatever life has in store for me. I’ll take this opportunity to plug my latest endeavor as an editor at an increasingly popular gaming site, AddictOfFiction.com. Keep an eye out for me, I still have a lot more to write about. I look forward to hearing about the success of other students from LMC, I hope everyone achieves their goals and overcomes life’s troubles and obstacles.
Take my advice, take advantage of the services available at LMC, whether it’s tutoring or help with English, Math, Science, etc. Make regular appointments with your counselor for the right guidance on your path.
Most of all, have fun. See ya!