The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

Newsletter Signup

Get our news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

* indicates required

Senior Goodbye: Mistakes happen, just be sure to correct them

Senior+Goodbye%3A+Mistakes+happen%2C+just+be+sure+to+correct+them

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.Ky_color

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.

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Appalachian
$1201
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

We hope you appreciate this article! Before you move on, our student staff wanted to ask if you would consider supporting The Appalachian's award-winning journalism. We are celebrating our 90th anniversary of The Appalachian in 2024!

We receive funding from the university, which helps us to compensate our students for the work they do for The Appalachian. However, the bulk of our operational expenses — from printing and website hosting to training and entering our work into competitions — is dependent upon advertising revenue and donations. We cannot exist without the financial and educational support of our fellow departments on campus, our local and regional businesses, and donations of money and time from alumni, parents, subscribers and friends.

Our journalism is produced to serve the public interest, both on campus and within the community. From anywhere in the world, readers can access our paywall-free journalism, through our website, through our email newsletter, and through our social media channels. Our supporters help to keep us editorially independent, user-friendly, and accessible to everyone.

If you can, please consider supporting us with a financial gift from $10. We appreciate your consideration and support of student journalism at Appalachian State University. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation, or if you would prefer to make a recurring monthly gift, please give to The Appalachian Student News Fund through the university here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1727/cg20/form.aspx?sid=1727&gid=2&pgid=392&cid=1011&dids=418.15&bledit=1&sort=1.

Donate to The Appalachian
$1201
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Appalachian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *