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| All photos taken by John Rose |
Friday I'll arrive at the ceremony as a graduating student and leave as an alumni—with a degree in my hand and my best friend by my side.
I couldn't wish for anything better.
Staff members of The Channels gathered in the newsroom today, reminiscing on all of our accomplishments. No matter how much I tried not to, I couldn't help but tear up in gratitude for my experience with this newspaper.
I said goodbye to being a reporter and editor for The Channels and hello to...... well..... I'm not sure yet.
It's a leap of faith going from having multiple jobs to moving to a new place where I'm not guaranteed anything but being a CSUN student.
What I do know is that LA is the land of opportunities and CSUN has the kind of journalism program that can lead me to those opportunities—all I have to do is go get them.
It may be competitive. It may be stressful. I may drink Starbucks late at night while I wonder who I am, what life is, and why I still don't have a pug. But I won't be doing it alone.
Julia is my best friend, "cubicle" buddy, and soon to be roommate.She and I are not only graduating SBCC together, we are going to be roommates who share the same major and graduate CSUN together as well.
After letting everything sink in today, I've realized I'm transitioning into a completely new life of mine.
I've always said "I don't want to just survive; I want to live."
This past semester, I have. The direction of my life has began to change. There's been a breakthrough in my positive thinking, events, opportunities, etc., proving that my past does not have to determine my future.
I've started to live my life, not just survive it.
That being said, I feel it's time to change my usernames in my social media accounts that are "arose_survivor."
Although to me it means that I "arose" into a better life after surviving, it makes meeting new people awkward. I can never choose to tell someone later because they kind of already know. I am and will continue to use social media all the time to promote my work because that's what journalists have to do in today's world. Maybe I'll use the name as an idea for something else because I still adore it.
This summer it will be 20 years since my mom and brother's passing as well as 6 years since I've survived cancer. Even though I can never forget these and other tragic times in my life, they were so long ago.
I'll forever and always love and protect that girl who survived as the woman I've become.
While I'm still proud of and consider myself a survivor, that's not what I want to reflect as anymore.
I am someone who is not letting my past determine me. I am someone who chooses to live life to the fullest because I know what it's like at the lowest. I am someone who accepts my past because it's made me who I am today.
I am moving forward to be someone who can make a bigger difference in this world.
I've always said "I don't want to just survive; I want to live."
This past semester, I have. The direction of my life has began to change. There's been a breakthrough in my positive thinking, events, opportunities, etc., proving that my past does not have to determine my future.I've started to live my life, not just survive it.
That being said, I feel it's time to change my usernames in my social media accounts that are "arose_survivor."
Although to me it means that I "arose" into a better life after surviving, it makes meeting new people awkward. I can never choose to tell someone later because they kind of already know. I am and will continue to use social media all the time to promote my work because that's what journalists have to do in today's world. Maybe I'll use the name as an idea for something else because I still adore it.
This summer it will be 20 years since my mom and brother's passing as well as 6 years since I've survived cancer. Even though I can never forget these and other tragic times in my life, they were so long ago.
I'll forever and always love and protect that girl who survived as the woman I've become.
While I'm still proud of and consider myself a survivor, that's not what I want to reflect as anymore.
I am someone who is not letting my past determine me. I am someone who chooses to live life to the fullest because I know what it's like at the lowest. I am someone who accepts my past because it's made me who I am today.
I am moving forward to be someone who can make a bigger difference in this world.
Over the summer, along with many other changes, I'm going to create my own website. In this website there will be many features such as my new personal blog and a list of every article I've ever wrote. I also plan to— for the life of me—get back to writing my autobiography while I have time. Aaaaaannd officially set up a LinkedIn because the lists of jobs I've had keeps getting longer and longer.
Once my website is ready this summer, I will add the link to my last blog and share it on all of my social media accounts. Speaking of, my next blog is my last blog for SBCC. Don't even get me started on how crazy that sounds!
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