She said: Farewell
Rachel Teitelbaum, CT Features Staff
April 27, 2007
Four years of hard work, four years of academic excellence, four years of fun and four years of greatness. If I could sum up my experience at Virginia Tech in one word, I'd call it amazing. I've grown as a person, gained tons of memories and made some really great friends.
After an entire year of reading Emerson and my tirades on controversial topics, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for being a loyal reader and acknowledging our opinions. Through all of our rants and harangues, please know that everything we said was all in good fun.
Now, as commencement quickly approaches and everyday we are reminded of the tragedy of April 16, we realize what truly is important in life. We come to find that pulling an all-nighter or receiving a low score on an exam is not the end of the world. Family and friends are what we hold so dear to our hearts.
So as we march forward on this journey called life, the seniors of Virginia Tech will step into yet another crucial stage in the growing process. No more mid-afternoon naps, no more meal plans and no more flip-flops with formal wear. We'll take what we've learned over these past four years and use this knowledge throughout the rest of our lives. College is not only an institution for higher learning, but it is a means to teach young, influential minds life lessons. And so we use our hard-earned degrees in more than one way.
Whether your career path leads you to a large city with long hours or four more years of study in graduate school, I wish you the best. We all have dreams and aspirations; never settle for anything less than what you firmly believe. Money isn't everything, and they say once happiness is found the money will soon follow.
I know I'll always cherish the memories I made and the good times I had. College plays a crucial role in molding us into the great people we are today. I wouldn't change my experience or decision to come to Tech for the world, and I hope you can all say the same.
No one truly knows what it is to be a Hokie unless you are one. I met an alumnus from the class of 1969 whose wife refers to the Drillfield as the center of the universe. And the funny thing is, we all know and understand exactly what she's talking about. When someone asks you what in fact is a Hokie, the simple answer is I am. We may be the fighting gobblers or some typed winged character from the bird species, but looking past the technicalities we together understand each other as one.
Through the good and the bad and the thick and thin, we will always have Virginia Tech. And with that, I wish you happiness, success and all the best in your future endeavors. The future is yours to embrace, so hold on tight and enjoy the road ahead. In the words of the wonderful Nikki Giovanni, "We are the Hokies. We will prevail. We are Virginia Tech."