After three rounds of placing other people’s parting words in graduation issues past, it’s finally my turn to condense four years of insanity, stress and everything else that has made up this crazy thing known as my Daily Bruin experience into 10 or so inches of size 9.5 ITC Century Book text.
I’m not going to lie: It’s kind of overwhelming.
I always knew this day would come eventually. When I joined the Daily Bruin as a shy little freshman, I had every intention of sticking it out for all four years, the position of Design director being my ultimate goal. (I achieved that much, at least.)
All quarter, I’ve been asking myself how it’s possible to still be so invested, to not be completely burned out after three years as a senior staffer. After all, I’ve seen plenty of people come and go, been on the receiving end of many a venting session, snapped at a few people myself during a rough day in the office.
Maybe I survived because I never really bothered to build a life outside of this.
Putting it that way sounds somewhat pathetic, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, I swear.
Well, maybe not every minute, but enough to make it worthwhile. I may not have fully realized what I was getting myself into when I applied to be a senior staffer and effectively sold my soul to the Daily Bruin at the end of freshman year, but I regret nothing.
Why would I regret the slightly sadistic pleasure I get when all I have to say is “What’s up, Millie?” in order to elicit the response, “I’m sending the illo requests right now, I swear”?
Why would I regret the absurd sense of satisfaction that comes from designing a perfectly modular page with an hour to spare before deadline?
Why would I regret a level of involvement that allowed me to meet some of the greatest people I know, people who became my closest friends at UCLA?
Why would I regret finding a second home in the office, my default location on campus?
Why would I regret wall quotes, Design/Copy alliances, Alfredo the bunny, “I spinning wheel K4,” candy bribes, various game addictions, Communications Board food, crazy DB parties, -28-/-29-/-30-?
In the end, the only regret I could possibly imagine is a single word: Good-bye.
Vas was the Design director for 2009-2010, assistant Design director from 2007-2009 and a Design contributor for 2006-2007.