For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been snapping photos and jotting down notes at various local graduations but if it’s still June 6 and you are reading this over breakfast, good morning and by the way, I’m the one graduating! Today I’m participating in the commencement ceremony at California State University, Stanislaus and I’m newly unemployed.
With financial worries temporarily set aside, I’m reveling in bidding farewell to my days of pulling all-nighters. Words cannot express how thankful I am to be living in the 21st century where my friends can keep me company, through chatting online, while I slave over cranking out nth pages of a paper, isolated in my bedroom.
But the day has come and I’ve finally earned my bachelor of arts in Communication Studies with a minor in Journalism. Frankly, I’m pretty darn stoked to have juggled my college education with working as a part-time staff reporter and still managing to come out a year early from a four-year institution as a member of the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association, Lambda Pi Eta.
As my years of hellish sleep deprivation come to a close, so do my years of writing for the Journal and residing in my birthplace of Turlock. Next week, I start a new life in Southern California where I will pursue my dream of becoming a public relations specialist in Los Angeles. I am excited for the proverbial road ahead and facing new challenges, but I will miss the co-workers that I’m leaving behind.
Hopefully soon, I’ll have a new set of smiling faces to greet daily as I step into an office but missing from my weekdays will be Kristi Massey, Kristina Hacker, Chhun Sun, Alex Cantatore, Andee Goodwin, Sabra Stafford, Hector Ramirez, Carlos Lupian, Kelli Threet, Victoria Batesole, Mo Jerner, Lisette Coria, Roxana Samano, Ryndee Herrington and Riann Evans.
For the past four years, after going to my classes, I’d drive down to the Journal and begin my workday which I always looked forward to because many of these individuals have become friends of mine and collectively, they were my home away from home.
I’m also saying good-bye to a few friends who have known me since high school, a friend who has been a fellow student at CSU Stanislaus, a couple of mutual friends and all of you! Thanks for your patronage and for reading my articles about events that I’ve woken up so early for or attended between my breaks at school or gave up my weekends to cover.
I also hope that all of you perused the students of the months, births, region happenings, obituaries, police logs, crime maps, engagements, weddings and street surveys that I’ve spent so many hours typing up, in addition to my stories, all before going home where homework and studying awaited.
I’m grateful, too, for every person who has taken the time to cooperate with me. I can’t take all the credit for my articles. Without people to interview, stories would be impossible. I appreciate all the help I’ve received and especially so if you were kind. The value of a warm disposition is magnified tenfold when one assumes a thankless job.
And no other group knows about having a thankless job better than parents. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for your support and sacrifices, and everything you’ve done for me! I love you both! Your only bird is leaving the nest! With this, I’m concluding my valediction. So long Turlock! If we’ve met, we may have gotten acquainted with each other’s sense of humor. If we haven’t, perhaps it’s not too late...
To contact Fiona Chin, call (678) 999-8212.
With financial worries temporarily set aside, I’m reveling in bidding farewell to my days of pulling all-nighters. Words cannot express how thankful I am to be living in the 21st century where my friends can keep me company, through chatting online, while I slave over cranking out nth pages of a paper, isolated in my bedroom.
But the day has come and I’ve finally earned my bachelor of arts in Communication Studies with a minor in Journalism. Frankly, I’m pretty darn stoked to have juggled my college education with working as a part-time staff reporter and still managing to come out a year early from a four-year institution as a member of the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association, Lambda Pi Eta.
As my years of hellish sleep deprivation come to a close, so do my years of writing for the Journal and residing in my birthplace of Turlock. Next week, I start a new life in Southern California where I will pursue my dream of becoming a public relations specialist in Los Angeles. I am excited for the proverbial road ahead and facing new challenges, but I will miss the co-workers that I’m leaving behind.
Hopefully soon, I’ll have a new set of smiling faces to greet daily as I step into an office but missing from my weekdays will be Kristi Massey, Kristina Hacker, Chhun Sun, Alex Cantatore, Andee Goodwin, Sabra Stafford, Hector Ramirez, Carlos Lupian, Kelli Threet, Victoria Batesole, Mo Jerner, Lisette Coria, Roxana Samano, Ryndee Herrington and Riann Evans.
For the past four years, after going to my classes, I’d drive down to the Journal and begin my workday which I always looked forward to because many of these individuals have become friends of mine and collectively, they were my home away from home.
I’m also saying good-bye to a few friends who have known me since high school, a friend who has been a fellow student at CSU Stanislaus, a couple of mutual friends and all of you! Thanks for your patronage and for reading my articles about events that I’ve woken up so early for or attended between my breaks at school or gave up my weekends to cover.
I also hope that all of you perused the students of the months, births, region happenings, obituaries, police logs, crime maps, engagements, weddings and street surveys that I’ve spent so many hours typing up, in addition to my stories, all before going home where homework and studying awaited.
I’m grateful, too, for every person who has taken the time to cooperate with me. I can’t take all the credit for my articles. Without people to interview, stories would be impossible. I appreciate all the help I’ve received and especially so if you were kind. The value of a warm disposition is magnified tenfold when one assumes a thankless job.
And no other group knows about having a thankless job better than parents. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for your support and sacrifices, and everything you’ve done for me! I love you both! Your only bird is leaving the nest! With this, I’m concluding my valediction. So long Turlock! If we’ve met, we may have gotten acquainted with each other’s sense of humor. If we haven’t, perhaps it’s not too late...
To contact Fiona Chin, call (678) 999-8212.
