Real World, I Think This Is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship
Goodbye is such a bittersweet concept, especially when put in the terms of a graduation. On one hand, you are excited about the next step in life, for whatever that may be, a great unknown that you have never experienced before. Yet on the other hand you are leaving a place that has become a home to you over the years, and with the family like ties that have been formed with friends with that home. Suddenly you begin to see everything as if it is the first time, the cafeteria food suddenly tastes slightly better, the squirrels much cuter and the landscape even appears slightly greener.
My experience at Monmouth has been an excellent one. Every year brought about something different, with new faces and fun stories. However, I would not have been able to experience any of it without the support of my parents. They have been my backbone throughout my life, and always inspired me to just “do my best.” Without them I most certainly could not have had the experience I have here at Monmouth, and I am forever grateful for them for the experience.
I am incredibly grateful for everyone that I have met throughout my time at Monmouth, especially Dylan. You have become my very best friend, always ready with a kind word and laugh for me at the end of the day. Thank you for all your love and support as our senior year comes to an end and the real world starts to approach, I know I can always count on you. I look forward to our future adventures in DC.
They say that the friends you make in college are the ones that you have a bond with for life. As the years have come and go and more friends have been made, I was able to really understand that bond that they always spoke about.
Kelly, Michelle, Dan, Ryan and Sam, you guys have become my second family and without you all Monmouth would not have been remotely the same. Some of the best times have been just us hanging out, doing nothing but cracking jokes and laughing with one another. I will miss seeing you all the most, but I know we will stay in touch.
To all of you on the debate team, you guys are an amazing group. It was never dull when we walked into class, and I had an excellent year working with each and every one of you. California was a blast with you all and I hope you all continue to be a team and support one another and have fun civilly disobeying.
Jenn and Kirsten, I love you both. You two are the best people in the entire world, and I have learned so much from our friendships. Through long “Gossip Girl” nights to birthday parties and shopping trips, you two ladies have been there with me through it all. Jenn you are my go to girl, and I love our long talks over pizza or sushi or long shopping trips when we need a good dose of retail therapy.
Jacquie, my first debate partner, we will always share that special bond of failure at our first tournament. I will never forget getting evidence together the night before and just looking at each other asking ourselves what we just signed up for. You are one of my best friends at Monmouth and one of the hardest working people I have ever met. I am so happy we became as close as we have, through our talks over pizza and Rook coffees. I hope you come to DC in the spring next year so we can walk around the capitol late at night again.
Lucy and Katie, we may not speak as often as we all try to, but I would not have made it through freshman year without you two. Even though we all have gone our separate ways as time went on, we still kept in touch with one another through our inside jokes. When I think of college I will always think of “Legally Blonde” nights, This is Dorm Life, and of course “Hellllloooo America!”
Jules, Shannon, Shayna, Laura, Marissa, Lauren, Billy and Reid ,the memories are overwhelming from sophomore to senior year. I am so happy I met each and every one of you through our bonding nights, and diner breakfasts. I will never forget our haunted house this year, with the Ouija board moving or Shannon and my lights going out.
Adrianna, Kitrina, Sarah and Dave, I am so happy we all bonded as much as we did over our time in India. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am happy we all got to share it together. Thought I should just say it…for the likes.
The one thing that I truly loved about Monmouth was how available each and every professor was. I was especially lucky enough to have excellent experiences with professors in both the Communication and Political Science Department. They have helped me every step of the way, teaching me valuable lessons within their classes and always working with me to better myself. They have been encouraging, kind, and always ready to lend a helping hand or words of advice.
Dr. Patten, you have definitely been a great source of wisdom and encouragement. You have taught me a lot throughout my education here at Monmouth, but perhaps the most important thing is the confidence to never give up. As a debate coach you always pushed us to move forward and try again after we lose, which showed us that if we work hard enough we could accomplish whatever we put our minds to. This is the very lesson I keep in mind as graduation comes closer, and I want to thank you personally for giving me the confidence to succeed in the “real world.”
Dr. Datta, I am so happy I got to go to India with you. It was a life changing experience that I would not have gotten to have if I did not take your class in the fall. It is always a pleasure to talk with you and get your advice on different events or topics. Thank you for always being available to talk whenever I had a question and all the advice that you have given me.
Dr. Cotton, I want to thank you for your help with my senior thesis and giving me the interest in international relations. You always have great guidance on how to shape a paper or idea, and I appreciated your feedback when writing something as important as my senior thesis. Your course is part of the reason I wrote it, and part of the reason I became interested in international relations. Thank you for being a great professor.
Dr Phillips-Anderson, you have been a great source of help in the last two years. Thank you for always being available for a comment at The Outlook, and being our go to guy on a various amount of topics. Your political campaign class is one that really stuck with me, and I appreciated the outlook that it gave me in my political science classes and when I wrote various articles.
Professor Harris, I am so thankful to have taken the course I have with you. You have been a great ally here at Monmouth and even though I have not had you since sophomore year, I always knew your door was open for some friendly advice. Thank you for all your help and support while I have been here at Monmouth.
Professor Scott, it has been an absolute pleasure to be able to take the courses I have with you. I have learned something new in each and every one, especially the speech-writing course. You have helped me become a better writer, and I will always appreciate the skills and lessons I have learned from taking your classes.
Professor Morano, thank you for being a great advisor. You were the first to call me a “real journalist” and I always appreciated that statement and courage to try to be an actual journalist with it. The opportunity to work with you on The Outlook has been a great one and I appreciate all that you have done for us.
When I first came to The Outlook it was because my friend, and our wonderful sports editor Maggie, worked for it. I told her I was interested in writing a piece, maybe for politics to which she sent me on my way to meet Chris. When I first walked into the office I never expected to be where I am today. The Outlook was the first organization that I really stuck with in my college experience, and some of the greatest friends I will ever make.
I will miss asking Angela for health tips advice, or discussing the latest blog post on a vegan food website that we are dying to try or sharing a laugh with Erin over different types of pro feminist types of comments or jokes and bonding with you, Netta and Alyssa at the zoo.
Bri and Brittany, fully expect a text in October to discuss what is happening on the “Walking Dead,” and how if they kill Daryl we will revolt. Also I don’t know what to do without nerding out with in-depth discussions with Nicole over the wonderful “Dr. Who,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” or “Game of Thrones.”
I will miss hugging Maggie after a long day or listening to her life stories that always provide a fresh outlook on life. Sharing a room with Maggie and Taylor in California was a great experience, and I had so much fun bonding with you both. Especially with Taylor and Sandie over our love for Brighteyes, and the surprise when the song came on.
Fabiana and Kelly, you two have been so much fun to get to know you both. Fabiana you always work very hard at your section and will go far with whatever you put your mind to. Kelly you are one of the hardest working people I have ever met, and it was truly amazing to watch you accomplish all that you have over the span of the year.
Alyssa and Casey, the dynamic duo, you two have been such a fun pair to be friends with. I love talking with Alyssa about life and listening to her empowering advice on what to do. “Oh boy” Casey I have loved our times together laughing and talking, driving Chris crazy, or discussing fashion.
Speaking of discussing fashion, Jackie you have been our fearless leader thank you for all of your advice and making this year a truly great one. I look forward to the day I see your name in Cosmo’s magazine, and all the great advice you will share with the world.
Sandy, thank you for always working with me through my complicated planning. I would not have been able to go to San Diego without all of your help and patience this year. I really appreciate all that you do for us!
Being a politics editor alongside with Chris has been an adventure of it’s own… and I will refer to the sign. I want to thank you for the encouragement throughout the two years of working together; through the long office hours contemplating how to arrange or frame a story, different types of stories to write, or discussion of politics, our predictions and what we want to see changed. It has been a lot of fun, even when we played the Kennedy song on loop, and I am proud of how our section turned out and our up and coming replacements that will now carry the torch.
Throughout my experience here at Monmouth University I was lucky enough to meet the people I have, participate in The Outlook and debate team, and have the education I have received. It has been the greatest four years of my life and I would not change a moment of it. Monmouth, my friends and my professors, have given me the confidence to move on into the big ole’ scary world, mainly because I know their doors will always be open when I return.
