A reporter's road to USF graduation
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Photo: Courtesy of Darian Mattos
Two years ago, when I was 20 and a rising junior at the University of South Florida, I applied for a position at Axios.
- I didn't think I'd get it. My portfolio consisted of only a handful of news briefs I got published in a local magazine and a few articles I had written for the campus paper.
Yes, but: I had someone in my corner, a mentor who taught me that good writing can "repair the world." He asked the recruiters to "give the kid a chance." And, beyond logic and reason, they did.
Why it matters: I couldn't have known then that by saying yes to a full-time role, I would have to say no to so much else. First went the campus paper; then, morning classes.
- I'm an English major. So, after long days of writing at work, I often shuffled into a classroom to write some more. To friends and colleagues, the burden seemed unbearable, and at times, it was.
- I received loads of unsolicited advice, most contradicting each other, all carrying the same theme: I couldn't do school and work. I needed to quit one and keep the other. I didn't listen.
Driving the news: Tonight, after work, I'm headed to the campus again. I'll sit shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers like any other night.
- This time, though, I'll be wearing a cap and a gown.
- I'm the first in my family to earn a Bachelor's degree — a milestone that's as much theirs as it is mine.
The big picture: Thousands will walk across that stage this weekend. The oldest is 72 years old; the youngest is 18.
- A lot of us didn't think we'd make it here. We sent pleading messages to our professors, ordered our regalia late and cried more than we'd admit.
The bottom line: We mark time by these days. If you know a graduate, hug them tight. Tell them you're proud. Remind them they can breathe.
