Moving My Tassle To The Right

I’m not sure how I made it to senior year, but I know I’m still here 1,063 days later writing my last ever article for the Spectrum. I remember the age when I first got a journal. I was about five years old, writing silly scary stories, song lyrics that expressed my emotions, or about how the flowers poked through the fences on a summer day in my backyard. I used to doodle in there all the time. 

However, I never really discovered my passion until I was nearing high school. I had read almost all of the “Diary Of a Wimpy Kid” books and felt inspired to keep a diary or journal of my own. I started journaling more around age 12 and continued even more throughout high school. I became so excited to write, I joined a creative writing class in high school and read my poetry aloud at mini talent shows. In addition to finding a passion for writing, I also found a passion for photography around that same time period. Honestly, when I first had downloaded Instagram, that’s when I started to appreciate photography more. There were so many different artists that expressed themselves on there at the time. One user that I always looked up to on Instagram was “Clark Little.” He would take macro shots of the beautiful clear waves in Hawaii; it was unlike anything I had ever seen. I instantly fell in love with the creativity behind photography. 

I found it amazing how you could make anything appear more interesting just by the angle and lighting used with a camera. I got my first camera at age 13. I would take it everywhere with me and I used to give myself assignments to train myself. I also would beg anyone to drive me to a new park location just to explore more of what I could do on my camera and see what I could make look more beautiful than it already was. I took a film class in high school and used a film camera as well. That was when I learned how to develop film. I fell in love with everything about photography instantly as I learned more. 

Fast forward to 2017, when I first came to Sacred Heart University, I was unsure of what my major should be. I knew I wanted to do photography, but I also loved writing. I didn’t know what to choose. 

It wasn’t until sophomore year when I officially decided my major would be media arts with a concentration in journalism. As soon as I had a title to who I knew I was going to be, I felt a huge weight lifted off myself. I felt established and confident; it only made me work harder to get to where I am. 

It is now 2021, and I have accomplished so much so far. I have taken numerous courses that have tested both my photography and journalism skills. Along the way, I have become well rounded in other areas. I wrote for Spectrum, and I am currently the photo editor for Spectrum. I volunteered at a blog writing internship over the summer of 2020. I started a clothing line called “Riptide Junkies” with my featured photography/designs on each t-shirt (the Instagram for it is @riptidejunkies). 

There is much more I plan to do. I hope I can further my writing and photography skills much more and I am excited to collaborate with other artists I come across throughout my life. However, I couldn’t be more grateful for what Sacred Heart University has taught me within my major and while being here in general. I can’t wait until day 1,076 when I move my tassel to the right and take that step into the next big phase of my life. 

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