I’ve always been told, “life sneaks up on you and surprises you.” No statement more accurately embodies my beginnings at The Oracle.
It was the start of the spring semester of my junior year and I was called upon out of desperation; the sports section was vacant and in need of writers. My good friend and former Managing Editor at the time, Rob Piersall, texted me explaining the situation. Although nervous and caught off guard, I told myself this was something I needed to do.
I discovered my love of writing in high school when I was given the ability and freedom to produce my own creative writing. It was something that seemed to come easier to me than say, biology or history.
As a psychology major, writing, especially creatively, is something that is not prevalent. I couldn’t resist my love of writing and declared a minor in journalism, something that certainly prepared me for The Oracle, even if I didn’t know it at the time.
I love sports. Sports provide an escape for me; it’s something that always manages to better my mood and almost always puts a smile on my face. Having the privilege to write about one of my biggest passions during my college years is something I will be forever grateful for.
The Oracle has taught me so much. From working in a team setting and collaborating on ideas to working with the pressure of crafting topics and meeting deadlines, I have picked up so many skills that I will certainly carry with me to the next chapter of my life and beyond.
There are so many people that made this experience possible.
First and foremost, Rob; thanks for taking a chance on me. You knew my passion for sports and love of writing, and I will be forever thankful for that text I received junior year.
Rachael, your leadership skills and ability to venture in all your passions are truly admirable. But the biggest lesson you taught me in my time at the paper was dedication, and I thank you for that. I expect only big things from you.
Jimmy, I don’t know if you will have any recollection of this, but you were one of the first people I introduced myself to four years ago during freshman orientation. Your Mets hat drew my interest, and we talked baseball for a bit. Now, four years later, we both leave this paper together.
Your work ethic and enthusiasm in all that you do made me proud to call myself one of your copy editors.
Jake and Maddy, I can’t think of a better duo to take the reigns of this paper. From copy editors to page editors and for Jake, Managing Editor, I have seen your growth in terms of leadership and am excited to see you take this paper to new heights like I know you can.
To fellow copy editors both past and present, it was a pleasure working with each and every one of you. There are not many people that I would be willing to sit around a table with for six hours on Wednesday nights, and you all made it worthwhile.
Page editors, I simply don’t understand how you all fail to destroy every piece of technology between the orange walls of the office. Your patience, ability to be proactive and follow along with swarms of incoming edits makes this paper great. Keep doing what you do.
To the athletes, it was a pleasure being able to cover you guys and follow your team’s journeys season after season. Thanks for the interviews and most importantly, thanks for representing our school. None of this would have been possible without you all.
Two special athletes that I had the pleasure of covering were men’s volleyball star Nick Smith and two-sport star Barrett Celecki of cross country and swimming. Smith was a member of both National Championship teams and became just the sixth player in program history to be named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American.
Celecki was named first-team All-SUNYAC for his efforts in the pool this year while also being a major part of the cross-country team.
Your accomplishments are truly inspiring and certainly something worth cheering for.
Lastly, I would like to thank my housemates. Thanks for not being haters and watching almost every Patriots playoff game with me. You guys have been my rock since we met in Bliss back in 2015 and it only got better with the emergence of Finn in sophomore year. I would never have had the confidence in myself to join this paper if it wasn’t for each and every one of you. You guys brought out the best in me, even if it didn’t always seem like it.
Thank you Oracle, for everything. From the lessons I’ve learned, to the skills and work ethic I’ve acquired and people I’ve met, this has been an experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life.