It truly is amazing just how fast time flies.
I remember high school graduation like it was yesterday. The principal told us to look to our right and our left and thank the people who had helped us make it to where we were.
We were also asked to thank our parents and any other special people in our lives for supporting us along our journey.
It has always been sad to me that for some people high school is where their educational journey ended. I could not fathom what my life would be like had I not gone to college.
It has taken me six long years in order to complete my task, but I honestly could not imagine foregoing the college experience in favor of the “real” world.
College has taught me a lot about myself and what it is going to take for me to be happy.
Two years ago, I was a mediocre fourth-year biology major. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life beyond college, I was frazzled and depressed about the fact that I was just floating along.
I had no real direction in life. It was very challenging and hard for me to sit down and evaluate myself and my life.
I needed to figure out what I really wanted out of the rest of my college career and, ultimately, what I wanted to do with my life.
I sat down with my family, and I made a decision — no summer classes until I could decide on a plan of action.
I was almost at the end of my rope and made a spontaneous decision to pursue my interest in writing and photography, so I became a journalism major.
The Horizon and The Horizon Newscast then entered my life.
Now, they may not know this because I used to be the quiet one — and I tend to stay in the background until I know you — but the entire newspaper and advising staff mean a lot to me. They came into my life when I needed it most.
As a former college athlete, it was hard for me not to have a clear focus when I returned to life as a normal college student.
I actually had to attend school every day because I wasn’t traveling or practicing any more and also because I didn’t have my teammates there to act as a support or a buffer when things got hard.
Because I lacked a direction, I floundered and nearly quit school because I was so unhappy.
The journalism program changed all of that for me. My fellow editors and advisers are my team, and they’ve helped me to become the writer and photographer that I am through encouragement and understanding. It’s not just a figure of speech — they’re my team.
I’d like to take a moment and look to my left and look to my right and thank each of them for their support and patience, as well as their understanding.
While I am at it, I’d also like to thank my family. Most of you don’t know me and don’t want to know my life story, so I won’t give it to you.
All I will say is without the support of my mother, brother and sister, I would not be alive today. They have made me the person I am, and I am thankful.
I am so blessed to have these people in my life.
If there were two pieces of advice I could give it would be to get involved and be a part of the campus community.
Even though I felt lost after I was finished with sports, it helped me to create many of the wonderful memories that I have of my time here at IU Southeast, and I made many friends.
The other is if someone makes an impact on your life, tell them. That’s it.
Graduation is one month away, and where this road I’m on will take me, I don’t know. What I do know is I will be prepared for my career thanks to some great friends at The Horizon and also thanks to my wonderful family.
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By LESLIE RADCLIFF
Photo Editor
radclifl@umail.iu.edu