By Rachel Lutz
Deputy Editor

I’m trying to avoid my final article for The Chronicle sounding too much like a resume or a diary entry. I don’t want to be particularly prophetic; I want to matter. I’m graduating Hofstra with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in psychology. My classroom education, then, was focused primarily in those departments. However, I would estimate that only 65 percent of my education came from class.

I’ve had professors who care specifically about my well-being and the success of my education. Those professors, who shall remain nameless, are among my favorites at Hofstra.

Throughout my time at Hofstra (cliché – I know), I appreciated the challenges, but loved nothing more than to complain about them. It’s a charming Hofstra quirk: everyone loves the sound of their own voice. The Football Team. The Hofstra Shuffle. The Hofstra Shuttle. The Graduation Debacle. And my personal favorite, Residential Programs. I honestly believe that I would not be the person I am today without it, for better or for worse.

Probably 20 percent of what I’ve learned at Hofstra came from the good ol’ ORP. Over three years, I’ve gained a healthy respect for authority and protocols, critical thinking skills, and ran the gamut of various incidents. I’ve gotten stomachaches (from laughter), headaches (from pulling all-nighters, for which I won an Award for Excellence), and heartaches (when it was time for my closest friends to leave).

But by the same token, college is/was a journey of personal connections; the remaining 15 percent. There are several people to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude in assisting my personal growth and maturity.

I’ve learned when it’s appropriate – and when it’s not – to “wear the hats,” to “keep the private things private,” to “give credit where credit is due,” to laugh so hard you can’t breathe, to be fiercely loyal, sarcastic, refreshingly “honest to a fault,” and when – and not – to press send.

These people taught me to stand up for what I will and won’t tolerate. I’ve learned that there isn’t always a microphone or a camera rolling, but speak like there is, because words have value and impact. It’s important to follow through and keep your word. As journalists, words are all we have.