It was Winter Quarter of my freshman year when I decided to take the treacherous hike from Latin America Hall to the Old Student Center for The UCSD Guardian’s recruitment. I still had the curious spark that every first-year had and although I had never engaged in an established newspaper before, I was still determined to explore my newfound passion. Slightly overwhelmed by the different sections and what they had to offer, I found myself gravitating towards Lifestyle. From San Diego trip guides to restaurant reviews, I was intrigued by the possibilities this section would offer me. Still hesitant to join extracurriculars in college, I refrained from applying that quarter.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and my first year of college was cut short — the sleepless nights, 30-minute walks to my 8 a.m. lecture, and never-ending visits to OceanView Terrace’s salad bar, were all gone within a flash. I was suddenly back in my childhood home, unsure of what I wanted to do throughout my college career. The thought of joining TheGuardian continued to linger in the back of my head, so I grabbed my laptop, applied, and a couple days later scored an interview. And the rest was history!

Although I had an unconventional experience during my time with The Guardian, it gave me a space to grow in my journalistic skills and also expanded my meaning of “lifestyle” as a whole. I was given a platform that allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, exploring the people, events, and way of life that exists within San Diego. My passion for journalism grew tenfold the more I experimented with my writing and I hope to continue this passion in the future. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity The Guardian has given me and I look forward to seeing how Lifestyle grows in the next few years. Congratulations class of 2022!