Many of you may know, I’m a person of words. For some odd reason, however, I am having a difficult time finding the right ones to sum up how I feel about my experience at Glendale College. When I say Glendale Col- lege, I think El Vaquero. That’s what GCC gave me a home a sense of belonging. A different world that I got to paint how I wanted.

It was a time of dedication (sometimes too much). It was life-changing. GCC nurtured me with confidence in myself and the world around me. It rewarded me with friendship and experi- ences I otherwise wouldn’t have had. Sometimes, it made me a cynic, makings of a good journalist, they say. After all, we are supposed to question everything, right?

Somewhere between the late, very late production nights, early mornings with too-much-caffeine, and last minute writing, I grasped a passion, an understanding, a being. I became whole. It’s interesting now, reflecting on the stressful little experiences, the heartbreaks but also the break- throughs in this process. I know that I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s cheesy to say, sure, but all my experiences have led me to who I am now. So, who am I?

I am a journalist. A daughter and a sister. I am a friend, a girlfriend, a human being. I am curious and sometimes crazy, sometimes “too much,” but I am me. I am passionate about the world, about my profession and the people around me. Somehow all those things are connected. I am passionate about being passionate, and I credit much of this to my experience at El Vaquero.

From the moment I stepped foot in that little “bird box” of a newsroom in the SG building in 2017, my experience as a student and as a journalist changed drastically. I went from the “go with the flow, just pass” attitude to its complete opposite by definition. I became a doer and a leader.

Despite its ugly looks and old smell, our previous newsroom gave me the ultimate founda- tion of what was to come. With too much sarcasm, El Vaquero’s former editor-in-chief, Ken Al- lard, or “Kennard” as I like to call him, showed me the way to editorinchiefness. Our adviser Reut Cohen challenged me to my full potential. Sometimes with too much harshness, she tore my articles to shreds, but I was receptive. I was eager for it. When it was time for me to take the reins of El Vaq, (and the office) from Kennard, I felt like I had it all figured out. Boy, was I wrong.

With every person I met, and I every challenge I crossed, I learned that the world is not a perfect place, but holds the most perfect places within. I now leave my big El Vaq family with so much love and appreciation in my heart. It’s been an absolute blessing to do what I love, surrounded by individuals who inspired me, daily.

With that in mind, I’m signing off, this time for real.

I hope that the future admininstration of El Vaq will enjoy and make the best of the opportunities presented. I know I did.

Thank you and goodbye!