Andrew Noel, Editor

I don’t know why, but as a kid, I used to always think about college. It seemed like, to me at least, a far away place that I may never get to. As I write this, I am three weeks away from graduating. Calling the feeling “weird” would be an understatement.

When I was picking which college to go to, I knew I was making a big choice. I just didn’t realize how big of a choice I was making and how much, for the better, it would impact my life. Given that I am so close to graduating, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on the last four years. It’s perhaps no surprise that I’ve had a lot of mixed emotions this semester, with the main one being thankful.

I’m thankful for La Salle, for challenging me both inside and outside the classroom, and forcing me to grow as a person.

I’m thankful for my professors–namely Dr. Brian Wyant, Dr. Kathleen Bogle and Dr. Caitlin Taylor–all of whom made my experience as a criminal justice major a good one. I always knew that they had my back and only ever wanted to see me succeed. One of the many things I learned in college was how impactful professors can be, and I will be forever grateful for the support and encouragement they showed me along the way.

A few weeks ago, I was watching the NCAA men’s hockey national championship broadcast. The announcer calling the game said that the best part of college is the friends that you make for life. Now that this journey is so close to being over, I can’t agree anymore with that statement. La Salle has given me a lot of good things, but the best thing is without a doubt the friends I will have for the rest of my life.

When I was picking which school to attend, I had a lot of options. Yet, I think it’s safe to say that I hit the jackpot. I can only hope that everyone finds their college experience as fulfilling and life changing as I did.

So that’s it. The quickest and best four years of my life are over. While I’m excited for the future, I will certainly miss La Salle and be indebted for everything it has given me.