The beginning of the end, and the end to a new beginning

I can't believe it, more like I don't want to believe it. This is the last week of classes before finals and it hasn't quiet hit me yet that I'll be graduating in three weeks.

Like many of my classmates and friends, I am stressed, I am tired, I am burned out, but I am not done yet. In a just a few weeks, I will be graduating from USC with a master's in journalism. It feels surreal.

An 11-month journey comes to an end. It's hard to believe that many of us started this journey back in June 2020 and the end is quickly approaching. So much as happened, so much as changed over the course of 11 months.

I am disappointed that my USC grad school experience was not what I had in mind...

I will not miss being behind a computer screen for 8+ hours (good riddance Zoom University), I wished I was able to actually utilized the media center and have that face to face interaction with my peers, friends and professors.

Even though this wasn't an ideal experience for anyone, it was still a memorable one nonetheless. The challenges we all faced and overcame is a testament to our determination and passion for this kind of career.

I am a different journalist and person than when I first started USC. It's been such a grind, and I am thankful for the past 11 months to have met some of the best people at USC.

I'm always going to be grateful for this experience, no matter how difficult and stressful it was, because at the end of the day, when I look back, I want to be able to say, this was all worth it. All those sleepless nights, mental breakdowns, technological difficulties will be worth it.

I will definitely feel relieved once all I turn in all my all my projects/finals, but even, when one journey ends, another one begins.

My job hunt will begin the second I am done with my finals and then it's off to the races to find a sports reporter gig. I'm definitely nervous but excited to see where my next journey will take me.

Now enjoy a meme of me riding a tricycle into the sunset: