Appalachian State University has been my home for quite some time. I love it here, and I cherish the majority of the memories.

But these six years have been quite a drag.

That’s right, six years. I’m not just a super senior. I’m a super-duper-senior.

With an unnecessary amount of experience under my belt, I can bestow sound advice to help those that are already here or are thinking about coming here.

Let me first start by mentioning the elephant in the room. Why was I here for six years?

When I first entered Appalachian, I had the overly-optimistic idea that I was going to become a doctor. This was because my parents thought it was the only safe way of making money, because I felt the pressure from my 11 doctor cousins and because I lied to myself into thinking that I could do something I didn’t enjoy.

You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your major.

Enter something that is truly enjoyable. After three years of hell in pre-med chemistry, I switched over to the fascinating world of journalism, and I’ve had nothing but a mixture of enjoyment, satisfaction and stress-inducing deadlines since.
I really wished that I was honest with myself earlier and saved three years of now-useless tuition charges.
But the path I took wasn’t all flowers and rainbows. My parents, of course, were not pleased. There were constant talks about “We are so disappointed,” “Where did we go wrong?” and “Get out of our house.”
Was it really that bad? Yes. But time does a great job of easing many pains, including the pain of knowing that your child isn’t going to be the doctor you always wanted them to be. Now my parents have almost-sort-of-nearly accepted that I’m journalism major, and, for the first time in a long time, I’m happy.

With that out of the way, let’s move on to some things to keep in mind. The more clubs you join, the better a resume becomes. A degree is great, but a resume is what employers want to see. Always carry an umbrella. Rain and snow can appear quickly in Boone, and the hope that weather will cancel an important test or project is just that: a hope.

Fast food is lame and unhealthy. The amount of local eateries in Boone is astronomical. Start exploring the area and always be ready to experiment with somewhere new.

And, finally, make plenty of friends. People are social animals, and they need to find others to vent with, waste time with and do stupid things with. Coffee fills all these roles, in case anyone is wondering.

Thanks to those who have been friends with me throughout these years. Thanks to the great professors who truly enjoy teaching their craft. Thanks to the me of three years ago for making the jump. And thanks to coffee for always being there.

Khai Hoang, a senior journalism major from Roanoke Rapids, is a graphic designer and the sports copy editor.