The Rocket

Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: Opinion

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For me, going to college wasn't about the classes, professors, exams or papers.

It was about the long-lasting friendships I will continue to cherish.

It was about those long nights talking about life with friends and wondering what we're really doing with these four or five years of our lives.

It was sitting outside under a blanket of stars in the cool summer breeze alone, staring up at the sky wondering why I was still in school.

In fact, "school" in general - be it college, high school or even middle school - has been a great deal more difficult for me than most of my peers.

Around the age of 12, I was diagnosed with depression, which I continue to battle with today.

Throughout my academic life, I have faced no more formidable an adversary than myself.

Those who know me as a bright, caring and smart individual don't know about the constant roadblocks I face as I go about my day. Even waking up and going to class can be an epic struggle. But rather than allow the disease to control my life or use it as an excuse, I pushed full-steam ahead.

With the help of many people in my life and a belief that anything is possible with enough perseverance, I did what I needed to overcome a disease that affects an estimated 21 million American adults annually, according to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.

As I sat in my first class - Associate Professor Joseph Harry's Mass Media and Society course - the very first day of my freshman year, the gravity of the situation had yet to sink in: I'm a college student now.

But it wasn't until I was on the brink of facing academic suspension that things really began to change.

In 2006, I was only one semester of bad grades away from being suspended from SRU. Given an overall lack of motivation and a strong feeling against academia in general, the notion of withdrawing from SRU was, in fact, a strong possibility.

But my parents, both of whom have at least a masters-level education, strongly advised that I stay in school.

I had overcome so much to be where I was, they said, so why should I stop now?

I'm glad I heeded their advice.

It's ironic how things come full-circle; the first day of classes and commencement on May 10 are both the unofficial end and beginning of summer, respectively. Dr. Harry was once just another professor among many, but now serves as faculty adviser to The Rocket, an organization I'm proud to have been involved in for the last two years.

I may not have the best QPA or the highest SAT score and, let's face it, I'm not the best-looking man to walk this earth. But I do have the drive and willingness to overcome the odds, and graduating from SRU has proven this to be the case.

Ultimately, though, it's not about the grades you got, the extracurricular activities you took part in or even the number of run-ins with the police you had.

College is a time to explore your interests, test out your boundaries, and even venture a bit outside your comfort zone.

From a timid beginning as an unmotivated freshman to the senior involved in a half-dozen campus organizations, there is much to be said about the extraordinary journey that began on Aug. 25, 2003.

This amazing path to where I am today wouldn't have been possible without the support I've received from my family (including my younger brother and sister) as well as my mentors on this campus and beyond who never gave up on me when I felt I had nothing to gain by being successful in life.

One of the mentors dearest to my heart, Claudia Balach, passed away in July of last year.

She was my middle school science teacher who decided to pursue her doctorate in education and ended up teaching at SRU.

As far back as middle school, she refused to allow me to settle for the minimum and even challenged me to do better than just simply earning a passing grade.

Learning of her untimely death caused me much sadness, but in the words of her husband, Ken, "She would have wanted you continue to be successful."

How can you thank someone who only accepts the currency of a student's success as payment for her time?

I'd also like to take an inch or two of column space to acknowledge someone here at SRU who has gone above and beyond her call of duty.

Mrs. Linda Quidone, director of the Office of Students with Disabilities, has proven to me that there are still amazing human beings here on this earth.

Mrs. Quidone (or "Linda," as she prefers) works tirelessly for the growing number of students assigned to her office without blinking an eye.

Through many of my most trying semesters, Linda helped me to overcome my most difficult demons with plain english and a personal touch not often found among those who work directly with students on this campus.

Having recently celebrated her 35th year at SRU, Linda should be held up as an example of a woman who puts students' needs first in her life and truly wants to see the success of all who enter her office.

I have a job with a major financial company near Philadelphia that beckons, and with that, another journey begins. In a very short amount of time,

I'll be moving away from Western Pennsylvania, a beloved region I've called home for nearly 24 years.

Leaving this region will mean learning my way around a new city and a new lifestyle while beginning the next phase in my life.

If, as a freshman, I were to be asked, "Where do you see yourself after graduation?" I probably would have had no idea.

You couldn't have convinced me that I would have a job lined up a full 40 days before graduation or that I would have been flown out to the interview free of charge.

All in all, it's been a great ride.

Now all that's left are those pesky final projects, exams and papers.

Dan Klein is a senior information technology major and the Web editor for The Rocket.

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