The White Pages: I didn't know it would end like this
John White
Issue date: 12/8/05 Section: Opinion
When I was young, I would drive in the backseat of my mom's car down Route 24 and see the sign for Bridgewater State College. "Who would go to college there?" I thought. "Bridgewater's not even a state."
Fast-forward about ten years and I was enrolling into that weird town, state school thing. Fast-forward another four and a half, and I am on my way out.
I was probably told a thousand times in high school that college would change my life. I didn't know what that meant at the time. I didn't realize it would be far from an over-exaggeration.
Somehow, I went from a commuter who didn't speak a word on campus to the Managing Editor of the college newspaper. I dedicated the last two and a half years of my life to this newspaper and probably spent more time in its office than my own bedroom, literally.
There were plenty of weeks that I went without seeing friends or family, plenty of nights I would return home at 3 a.m. from a 19-hour day at the office, only to start to write a paper on "Paradise Lost." And I wouldn't change a thing. This newspaper allowed me to find my passion in journalism that will hopefully drive me to the next chapter in my life.
Never will I forget this newspaper. I'm so thankful for deciding to apply for Sports Editor way back in 2003, and so thankful the editors that were just crazy enough to hire me. At the time, it was seemingly a small decision, who knew it would lead me to meet Richard Clarke, John Kerry, Howard Dean, and dozens of people on this campus I would otherwise not know existed, including my co-workers, who over the years became some great friends. I also found my best friend and girlfriend while working at this newspaper. For a half of semester I was able to put my column side by side with hers which was one of my favorite parts of this whole experience. If for nothing else, I am thankful I met her, a person so special and important in my life.
I've grown up from all the mistakes (faulty headlines), all the complaints (comics, comics, and comics), and all the great times that far outweighed everything else, like the conference in New York City and the Democratic debate in Boston to mention a couple from a long, long list.
Fast-forward about ten years and I was enrolling into that weird town, state school thing. Fast-forward another four and a half, and I am on my way out.
I was probably told a thousand times in high school that college would change my life. I didn't know what that meant at the time. I didn't realize it would be far from an over-exaggeration.
Somehow, I went from a commuter who didn't speak a word on campus to the Managing Editor of the college newspaper. I dedicated the last two and a half years of my life to this newspaper and probably spent more time in its office than my own bedroom, literally.
There were plenty of weeks that I went without seeing friends or family, plenty of nights I would return home at 3 a.m. from a 19-hour day at the office, only to start to write a paper on "Paradise Lost." And I wouldn't change a thing. This newspaper allowed me to find my passion in journalism that will hopefully drive me to the next chapter in my life.
Never will I forget this newspaper. I'm so thankful for deciding to apply for Sports Editor way back in 2003, and so thankful the editors that were just crazy enough to hire me. At the time, it was seemingly a small decision, who knew it would lead me to meet Richard Clarke, John Kerry, Howard Dean, and dozens of people on this campus I would otherwise not know existed, including my co-workers, who over the years became some great friends. I also found my best friend and girlfriend while working at this newspaper. For a half of semester I was able to put my column side by side with hers which was one of my favorite parts of this whole experience. If for nothing else, I am thankful I met her, a person so special and important in my life.
I've grown up from all the mistakes (faulty headlines), all the complaints (comics, comics, and comics), and all the great times that far outweighed everything else, like the conference in New York City and the Democratic debate in Boston to mention a couple from a long, long list.