“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it’d be easy; they just promised it’d be worth it.”

The Daily Orange is just a publication. The white house with the red door is just a place. The staff is just some Syracuse students. If that is all true, why has the last year of my life felt like so much more?

The simple answer: the people I had the pleasure of working with during my freshman year. It takes a certain breed of person to willingly stay up until 3 a.m. four nights a week working on a paper while our friends stay up watching movies, going out and making typical college decisions. I cannot say that I affected anyone I worked with, but everyone affected me.

Sam, Chase and Luke: You showed me that visuals are so much more than just simply taking a picture. Your storytelling abilities rival that of anyone who uses words, and your talents are boundless. Luke, good luck next year, buddy! Show me up.

Lizzie, Beth, Michelle, Allen, Luke (again) and Ankur: Thank you for welcoming me onto the design staff by completely insulting me all first semester. You really eased my transition into college life by providing a great support group for me.

Mark and Laurence: You are an unparalleled example of how leaders should lead. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities you gave me and the journey on which you took me.

Meghin: You’re my favorite already graduated senior.

Sports and Chris: Thanks for not putting up with me. I really loved your harassment about anything and everything sports related. I wish I wasn’t made infamous on the wall in the Sports room, but I guess that will be my legacy.

To my Secret Santa who I refuse to refer to by name: I hate you.

—

“If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?”

This was the motto I used coming into college. While the time I spent at The D.O. defined a lot of my freshman year, I think this year was about so much more. Between The D.O., football, basketball and every other thing I got involved with, freshman year was more of a learning experience than I had expected coming into the year.

I don’t think a day went by this year without me running between classes, clubs, activities, friends and occasionally closing my eyes for a few minutes. I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. But I wouldn’t have gotten through this year without the most important people in my life.

Da Berubes: You guys are my rock. Matthew, thank you for your phone conversations in which the only word you know is “good.” Nicole, you inspire me to be more and more creative every day. Dad, you push me to be my best every day. Mom, you’re the only person who can calm me down and spin me up in the same conversation, and I love you for it.

Kari Nicole Maharaj: I guess I’ll thank you. You got me through the worst times in my life and you’re there for the best. I miss you every single day and I cannot wait for the summers of our lives and the years we live on each other’s couches. You’re my sister. Always.

Cuse fraannds: You crazy kids keep me laughing and smiling. Whether it’s our adventures on the East Campus bus, our hours spent debating whether to order food, weekend adventures to Comstock, late-night laughs and times I will never forget, I literally have loved every minute with you. There is so much I want to say to you guys, but I don’t want to embarrass myself in print … so bye.

—

I guess this is the end of my word count, and I’m not sure how to end this. I’m glad I still have three more years at SU. This doesn’t really feel like a goodbye, but more of a thank you for the welcome to ‘Cuse. I can say one thing with absolute certainty: There is much more to come from me.

“If you don’t want to be the best then there is no reason going out and trying to accomplish anything.” — Joe Montana

Published on April 30, 2013 at 6:53 am