It’s pronounced Bruh-Coal-E, not like the vegetable

Well, that’s it, I’m done. I cannot believe that I am graduating college and that I was the Entertainment Editor for the Good Five Cent Cigar! Dreams really do come true.

There truly aren’t enough words to describe how fortunate and lucky I am to have been a part of this organization. I have made so many lifelong friends that I hope to stay in contact with even after graduation.

I have never thought highly of myself throughout my entire life. Before college and even high school, I didn’t know where I’d end up in life. I thought of myself as a failure and someone who could never do anything good in their life and never make anyone proud of me.

All of those feelings went away when in sophomore year of high school I took a writing class where we had to write articles and create a magazine. Writing articles and interviewing people opened my eyes and mind to an entire lifestyle that I never thought about before.

I never used to be a good writer or even like writing at all. And now, I cannot get enough of writing articles, stories, reviews, letters and a lot of other things. Joining the Good Five Cent Cigar only made my love of writing grow even more.

I have gained so much experience writing for the Cigar and I am so proud of all of the articles that I have written. As of today, I have written exactly 100 articles for the Cigar in just four semesters, and I started here as a Junior.

A lot of them are K-Pop album reviews, but I am so proud of all of them and loved writing them all. 

I have learned so much from the editors I have worked with during my time at the Cigar. There are so many people on the editorial board who have helped me become a better writer and journalist, so I sincerely thank all the editors I have worked under and worked alongside with.

I owe so much of my growth to them, and also to myself as well. For the first time in my life, I was producing content that I was so proud of and even more proud to show off to my family and friends. 

I am so proud of myself for always trying and not giving up on running for the Entertainment Editor position, and for my last semester I finally got it! This position is the most amazing thing that has happened to me in my college career. Pitching entertainment-based stories and editing them is so much fun. Working with my fellow current editors on the EBoard is a lot of fun as well.

Now, I have some very special people in my life to thank. Get your tissues folks. 

Dad, thank you for being my number one fan throughout my life. I have always wanted to make you and mom proud of me. No matter how much you have told me how proud you are of me, my anxious mind never believed it. I want to thank you for being the most influential person in my life and for raising me into a man that I am now so very proud of. I definitely get my humor and half of my personality from you. I am so proud to call you my father and I know and hope that you are proud of me for who I have become. I love you with all my heart, Dad!

Mom, thank you for also being my number one fan throughout my life. You never had it easy and you have every right to be so upset and bitter. However, never once have you been resentful or complained about anything that has happened to you. You have always held your head high and have always remained so elegant and poised. You have inspired me to work hard and always make sure to put myself first which I really appreciate. I get the other half of my personality from you. I am so proud to call you my mother and I know and hope that you are proud of me for who I have become. I love you so much, Mom!

Isabella, thank you for being such an amazing sister and friends to me my entire life. You have introduced me to so many things in life, some by force (One Direction). You and I share the same taste in a lot of foods too, so I can always count on your reviews on food so I know if I want it or not. You are doing great things in your life and you are going into P.A. School which I am so excited for you to start. Your life is only just beginning and I am so happy and proud to call you my sister. Your growth makes me so happy and I love you so much, Isabella!

Anthony, thank you for being my roommate and K-Pop best friend. I am the one who got you into K-Pop, and it’s the best thing I ever did. You and I are always being told to stop buying K-Pop albums and photo cards by mom and dad, but we will never stop. You constantly make me laugh just by being yourself and you are such a bright light. I am so excited to see what you do in life because I know it’s going to be great. You are such an amazing person and you have such a great personality. I am very proud to call you my brother. I love you way too much, Anthony!

Tucker, thank you for being my lovable and chaotic pet. You have been my therapy dog for the past six years of my life, and I love you so much! You are my first ever pet and I love you so much, Tucker!

I also have to thank my friends who have been in my life consistently and have made me so happy and have been like my family. Kartik, Michael, Mason, Rose, Mackenzie, Molly, Mae, Cate and Alexis, I thank you so much for your love and support that you have given me throughout my life and for the time that I’ve known you.

I hope to receive a position at WPRI-12 as an Assistant Producer in the coming month or so, and I am beyond excited and anticipating whether or not I will get the job. I am so excited for what my life holds in the future, and I cannot wait to experience it with everyone I love by my side. That’s all folks! Thank you for an unforgettable experience and again, my last name is pronounced Bruh-Coal-E, not like the vegetable.