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When you’re a senior, you do one of two things: move on or hang on. We all know what the right thing to do is. But is it so easy to move on and pretend like you’ve gotten some fabulous dream job right out of college? I think that’s the dream for most students out there, but hanging on to this fantastic bubble inside of our Quinnipiac reality seems much less scary than the giant question mark looming around out there.

When you’re a freshman and scared of everything, you do one of two things: fit in or stick out. I’d like to think that I came into my own during my time here. Trying to fit in only made me want to be myself more and more. So I gave up and decided that myself was what I wanted to be. And that took me about two years to realize.

I’d like to think The Chronicle played a part in who I am today, in the person I’ve become. I think I’ve stolen a few of the confident and feisty traits of the passionate journalists, photo journalists and designers who I’ve had the pleasure of working side-by-side with since my freshman year here.

The Chronicle has taught me to speak up and fight for what’s right. If something seems questionable, it probably is worth questioning.

Make your own rules. If you don’t like what you’re doing, turn it into something you like doing and make it your own. You’re more than just a designer, a photographer, a writer, an editor. I’ve not only designed throughout my four years here, but I’ve taken photos and written pieces for Opinion, Arts & Life and News. And that was because I never let myself become confined to one lane.

I will always hang on to the things that The Chronicle and Quinnipiac have taught me, but it’s equally important to move on. A senior has to strike a balance between what to hang on to and what to let go of, no matter how hard that may be. I wouldn’t consider myself much of a “quote person” but there is one and only one quote that I legitimately try to live my life by.

“Every great thing starts out a little scary, doesn’t it?”