Four years ago during NSO, my dad dragged me up to the Graphic newsroom and told me he wasn’t leaving campus until I had an article to write for the newspaper. So, I huffed and puffed my way up there and committed to writing just one article to get my dad off my back. Now I sit here as the Executive Editor, writing my final article and reminiscing about my past four years with the Graphic and at Pepperdine. What better way to end my time here than to tell everyone the valuable lessons I’ve learned?
1. Truth has nothing to fear from investigation. Recent articles published in the Graphic concerning students involved in various DUI/DWI situations angered a large portion of the student body. Despite the harsh criticisms, the Graphic stood by its decision to publish these stories for two reasons: to maintain a system of checks and balances amongst the closely knit Pepperdine community, and to terminate rumors that may have been circulating about the incidents.
2. It never hurts to have polished writing skills. I once lost a job opportunity because of simple grammatical mistakes on my LinkedIn profile. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: teachers are much more forgiving of grammatical mistakes than a skeptical readership.
3. Criticism is a part of life. Many angry emails have passed through my inbox over the years, and only some were warranted. Your opinions — and your objective attempts to tell a seemingly simple story — will never go unquestioned.
4. It is futile and exhausting to think you will ever be able to please everyone. Complaints come flooding in when something is wrong, and compliments are few and far between when things are going right. Just remember, a lot can be gained from the practice of self-validation.
From Sports Assistant to Executive Editor, I will never forget the importance of using a comma correctly or impersonalizing negative criticism. Although I can hardly be considered wise, I will say this as humbly as possible: Don’t let Pepperdine pass you by without finding something that can teach you a few valuable life lessons. And don’t forget to support Pepperdine Athletics. Go Waves!
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