Graduation Issue 2022

I learned when to be an ally and when to hold institutions accountable. I discovered I didn’t just have a place at the Daily Cal. I had friends here, too.

I’m writing for myself to keepsake the drafts of tales and relics I treasure. And I’m writing imbued with the spirit and currents of life that has come to pass.

More than anything, I’ve been lucky enough to learn how to live — and that I don’t have to do it alone.

I’m a combination of every creative director, design editor and Daily Cal staffer who came before me, from names I’ve only heard in passing all the way up to those with whom I’ve spent more nights than I can count huddled around the design desk.

At the end of the day, the most important part of my life isn’t what I’ve done with it, but the people in it.

Looking back, I can think of hundreds of faster ways that could have led me to where I am today, but I regret none of it.

The prospect of graduating early was honestly comedic as it seemed not at all likely and all so far away. And yet, here I am. 

The streets of Berkeley are decorated with mysterious, witty stories. It’s difficult to say goodbye to this story-filled city.

I never did high school journalism — that was probably one of the most common facts I told people when I joined The Daily Californian news department.