Making eye contact with me as I headed out of the last day of our Intro to Comm Class, the professor, Joe Carranza, motioned to me. “Do you like to write?” he mouthed, gesturing with his hand holding an imaginary pencil. “Where is he going with this?” I remember thinking at the time. I nodded back and he smiled. “I thought so,” he said. “Swing by my office. I wanna talk to you about the school paper.” I laughed and nodded.
Little did I know this small moment would change my entire career at California State University, Stanislaus and affect my future to come.
Fast forward to me signing up for the class. You knew where this story was going. You’re reading it in The Signal. Now pause again. How to describe my relationship with The Signal? That’s tough.
It’s definitely one of those Nicholas Sparks-type stories even though I kinda hate chick lit. The Signal and I have had our ups and downs. But in the end, even when I become frustrated with it, I still am passionate about it more than anything else. It hasn’t been perfect and it’s taken a ton of hard work and hours and hours and late nights and tears, but it’s also brought loads of laughs, genuine friends, life lessons and most importantly, journalism experience. It reminds me of a description I heard of America on NPR. For me, The Signal has kind of been like a needy lover. He eats a lot of my time up but man, he sure can dance.
It sounds corny to say that I have met my best friends here, but I have. Kate Brown, the Managing and News Editor, is a sister to me. We began our journey together here and pushed ourselves to move up through the ranks. I began as a Staff Writer, was promoted to News Editor the next semester and then to Editor in Chief where I have remained for the last two semesters. I know that in the Fall, with new editors, a new advisor and increasing pressure to go online, The Signal may be completely different, but I’m happy to say that I was a part of the positive changes made here and I’m proud of the paper we turn out every week. So please, future editors, writers and readers, keep up your standards of journalism. I don’t care how an article is published or where, all that matters is content.
How does it speak to you? Hopefully, truthfully and beautifully.
So although the times may be a-changin’ please continue to support The Signal and local journalism and let me end with this piece of advice from Bob Dylan: Come writers and critics /  Who prophesize with your pen / And keep your eyes wide / The chance won’t come again / And don’t speak too soon / For the wheel’s still in spin / And there’s no tellin’ who / That it’s namin’ / For the loser now / Will be later to win / For the times they are a-changin’.