Nobody wants to read 800 words of me getting all misty-eyed about what the Collegian means to me.
Too bad.
Unless you work here, it’s hard to fully grasp what being a part of this paper entails: how important it is to all of us, how much time and energy it consumes and how many beers it drives us to consume (partly joking).
Over the past three-plus years, I’ve written more than 300 stories, interviewed coaches and players countless times, covered hundreds of games from
Because of that, it’s taken me more than the allotted four years of college my parents planned for to finish my degree. (sorry about that, by the way) And because I was constantly traveling all over New
Think about it. Every Sunday we had mandatory Collegian meetings; I had to work the sports desk from 5 p.m. to approximately midnight two days a week; depending on the sport that I was the beat writer for, I had to cover one to three games per week (entailing previews, game recaps and either a notebook or sidebar for each game) and then there were also mid-week interviews with coaches and players. Being the sports editor is a busy time.
Looking back, it’s impossible not to feel some regret about not being a typical college student. I wish I had worked harder in my classes and I, not coincidentally, wish I had a better rapport with my professors. I wish I had tried more new things and I wish I had had more time to go out and just have fun.
But people go to college to figure out what they want and who they want to become. Not everyone achieves those goals. I did. And I owe The Collegian for that.
And for a whole lot more.
The Collegian gave me so many things: real-life sports writing experience that no other college in the country could truly match, an internship at The Daily Hampshire Gazette, the thrill of covering games at places like Madison Square Garden, Fenway Park, Carrier Dome and The Palestra, articles in The Boston Herald and other well-known publications and people that will always be a big part of my life.
But it’s even because The Collegian owes me plenty ‘- my five-hours-per-week paycheck didn’t exactly cover my 40-plus hours per week that I worked here or the more than $2,000 I spent on gas, hotels and food in my career traveling to games to cover for the paper.
As my Collegian and college career can attest, I could pretty much go on forever here. This place means more to me than you could ever know. It’s helped me grow and improve as a journalist and as a person and I have an infinite amount of memories that The Collegian has given to me. I’ll hold on to those for myself and spare you.
In the meantime, I could give you the same advice that everyone gives when they leave college, but I won’t. You’ve heard it before. However, I will ask one thing of you if you are returning to UMass next year: READ THE COLLEGIAN! And not just for the Soduku and crossword puzzle, please.
This is easily one of the best college newspapers in the country and it’s something special that has been a part of this school since 1890. Take advantage of our hard work, sit back, read,and enjoy.
But even though The Collegian has literally been my life for the past three years, it doesn’t define the person that I am. And I’m so appreciative of my parents for giving me five years to figure out who that person is. I’d also like to thank all my friends and colleagues here, who somehow put up with all my antics. Not an easy job, I’m sure.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention professor Nick McBride of the journalism department for being a role model and father figure to me at UMass. And also Gazette writer and Collegian Hall of Famer Matt Vautour, a friend who has given me something and someone to aspire to. Thanks, Matt.
If I become half the person and journalist that he is, I owe the Collegian much more than I originally thought.
Eli Rosenswaike was the sports editor. He can be reached at eli.rosenswaike@gmail.com.
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