the graduation issue

Yesterday was my last day at The Daily Tar Heel. It’s crazy to think I’ve gone there every day since my sophomore year. The DTH is one of those places where when you’re talking you accidentally call it “home.” And, in some cases, it kind of was in that some of my biggest life moments happened there…the whole spectrum from laughter to tears. 

Our last issue of the year was the Graduation Issue where parents could purchase ads for their graduate. And, this year, the issue was my special project. It was by far the most busy work I’ve ever done, but so much fun all along the way. I think it was the perfect project to have as I end probably, although I’m biased, the best college job out there. 

Sallie

sweet suite reunion at breadman’s

At first glance, I never would have thought my seven freshman suitemates and I would get along. We were an odd bunch all plopped together on the 4^th floor end suite of Morrison on an all sophomore guy hall. There was Laura, who was the mother of us all. Cassie, who taught me to meow. Paige, who loved camp and was my roommate sophomore year. Haley, who loved Israel. Melissa, who only ate Japanese food. Natty, or Natalie or Nattilicious, who was always at Newman, and then my crazy wonderful roommate Julia. And, today we are all still friends, and have managed to have multiple sweet suite reunions.

Today’s reunion was no different except we started by sharing what we were all doing next year. Laura is working for the NIH in DC, Cassie is teaching English in Japan, Paige is doing TFA in Halifax County, Haley is unsure because she’s still interviewing, Melissa is going to grad school in Japan for international communication, Natty is working for a pharmaceutical company in Durham, and lastly, Julia just got a sports marketing job in Winston-Salem. And then me in Cincinnati. These girls are awesome, they truly are. They are full of life, passion, jokes and literally the best stories from freshman year…two and a half hours of stories and we definitely could have kept going. I’m so thankful to have lived with L, C, P, H, M, N, and J freshman year! xoxo, S. 

Spring Freshman year, Morrison basketball courts (2010)

Spring Senior year, Breadman’s (2013)

Sallie

climbing the bell tower

On Thursday morning, one of my best friends and I climbed the bell tower, a tradition for seniors to commemorate their time at UNC. Probably the only time I’ll get to climb it (or at least for a while), so we took many, many pictures! Here are just a few!

Sallie

ps…I am going to have to find a friend whose name rhymes with mine in Cincy!

capturing the best photos

Taking pictures is not one of my talents. However, I have been lucky enough to be friends with Anna, whose love of photography has truly captured some of the best memories from freshman year to tonight’s spontaneous trip to Maple View. Anna has probably tagged me in half of all my college photos, and even took my family’s Christmas card photo one year when we flew out to visit my sister in Nashville. I’m thankful for all her pictures, as well as her wonderful friendship!

She has even taught me to take a few pictures myself, although perhaps a little more candid because I struggle with focusing the camera (they are laughing at me)…

Sallie

I feel the needtobreathe

Music. Life. A great combination of a wonderful blessing that I so frequently take for granted until JD reminded me of it this week. Stop envying others, because your life itself is a wonderful blessing. What a powerful, and much needed reminder, as my life of the past 22 years changes and I embark in the seemingly unknown so-called real world. Life is about to get turned upside-down, but it’s always helpful to remember that He will always be the one constant in my life and the one thing that He is what I need to be fulfilled.

On Wednesday night, a group of us went to see Drew Holcomb and needtobreathe at DPAC. It was one of those concerts where you get so caught up that suddenly you are shouting for the encore, but with a slight disbelief that time flew so quickly. During the concert, they played one of my favorite songs “Keep your eyes open.” As I sang, the lyrics reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend in Ohio who told me the importance of letting go of North Carolina so I can fully appreciate my new city.

“Cause if you never leave home, never let go, You’ll never make it to the great unknown till you keep your eyes open”

So here’s to keeping my eyes open, exploring the unknown. Here’s to Friends. Great Friends. Music, Life and His words, guiding me.

Sallie

today it became real

Today Kraft emailed me the exact address of my new office. In Chapel Hill, I am two blocks away, 2 minutes and 45 seconds, and 300 steps from work. There is no sidewalk, but a narrow dirt path covered with roots. I sit in the back, in a converted closet, and look out through my teller window that is frequently thought of as a one-way mirror…but it’s not.

Now as I play around with google maps, I see that I-71 N will be my new path. Concrete, multiple lanes and most likely a 20 minute drive. I think this is the beginning on my new commuting life. Here’s to a new life of great thinking, singing along to the radio, phone call catch up dates, books on tape, and news talks!

Sallie

our carolina blue seersucker couches

I’ve lived in North Carolina my whole life. Never moved, although I have if you count upgrading bedrooms in my house because I begged my parents. I walked to school with my mom until I was five. From kindergarten onward I went to the same school twenty minutes away. I loved it.

But, now here I am. One month from graduation. My housemates and I joke about how we can’t wait to leave our decrepit house and move on. In a sense, I am ready. Ready for my next adventure. But, you can’t ever go back. Back to living with the six most wonderful girls I could have asked to live with. Back to walking to work everyday, sliding into my first class having left only minutes earlier, and joking that maybe one day when I walk home, Cottage will have fallen a part. Cottage will forever be the house with some of the best memories.

It didn’t start out so easy. The house was a maze where we couldn’t even find the fifth bedroom. The bathroom was not connected to city sewer and Pablo, along with his other mice friends, was the real permanent resident. We’ve had gas leaks, outlets blown, cabinets and drawers and curtains falling off right and left, turtles on the patio, slugs, lizards, camel crickets, roaches, a snake, spiders, and mildew…and lots of it.

However, I love sinking into our Carolina blue seersucker couches, the creaky steps, and Wilson the squirrel above my ceiling. I love the cottage painting over the fireplace, our ending list of house activities to do, the morning light in the dining room, and our broken TV and pint size replacement. I love Elise, Michelle, Rebecca, Allison, Ashley and Liz, and every minute and memory of the last two years.

Sallie

this I believe: we meet no ordinary people in our lives

When I was in high school, my English teacher had us write an essay called “This I Believe,” based off the NPR series. Over the years, the concept of that radio program has always been in the back of my mind. And, more recently it has been a topic of one of my journalism classes. What is it that I truly believe? And why do I believe it? In walking along the beach this weekend, I came to realize one of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes, is something I truly believe. So here it is: This I believe: We meet no ordinary people in our lives.

I didn’t know her name, and I couldn’t see anything but a small portion of her face as her parka and sunglasses covered her from head to toe. She didn’t say a word at first on the end of the pier as she came and stood a couple feet away to also watch the sunset. After the last part of the sun went below the horizon, Callie and I started to leave as we began shivering with the cold wind. I turned to the lady and said, “Well, you certainly dressed well for the weather.”

And, that was all it took. Immediately, she smiled. After commenting on how many layers she had on, she told us she was a local and that she came out on the pier every night to watch the sunset and take a picture. As our conversation continued, she told us she had had a series of health problems and the doctor had prescribed her a bunch of medicines. Not wanting to live a life on pills, she started walking. Walking along the beach sometimes at sunrise, sometimes at sunset, sometimes on the north end, sometimes on the south end. But, always to watch the sun. Soon, she said, her health problems went away.

She was anonymous to me, but after talking with her a while, she seemed like an old friend I bumped into in passing. Eventually, our conversation ended, and as we parted, I realized how special people are. How unique their stories are. How fascinating even the simplest lives can be. And, how you never know behind even a face as hidden as hers, how extraordinary a person can be on the inside. We meet no ordinary people in our lives. This I believe.

Sallie

Callie and I went technology-free for the evening, so while we couldn’t capture our own version of a beautiful Atlantic Beach sunset, this picture is almost exactly what we saw:

 

 

when alpine changed my life

Who would’ve thought that standing in line at Alpine my sophomore year would affect the rest of my life? Reason 1: fulfilling my daily dose of bread and 2. That’s where I saw an ad to apply to work on the ad staff at the Daily Tar Heel. So I applied and was fortunate enough to get hired. Laughs, tears, frustrations, friendships, and three years later, I’m still here, but about to leave in exactly 33 days.

I could not be more grateful for my work experience here, but also the bosses that have helped me along the way. While they have set high expectations for the staff and me personally, it is their fun personalities and friendships that have also made my work experiences at the DTH the most enjoyable ones. In pooling the office and professional staff, I’ve come up with the best possible definition for the man whom I call my Big Boss. Imagine a surfer, daddy warbucks, short in height and words, papa bear, guy that knows everything, force of nature, first answer is reflectively “no,” grumpy teddy bear, grizzly, but “damn good at his job” type of person, and that’s Kevin. The man, the myth, the legend.

A few weeks ago, Kevin and I got in an argument over a controversial article that ran in our paper. Eventually, I left for class, and in the meantime, Kevin comes upstairs into my office, pulls up my Facebook and changes my status to “Arguing with my GM. What a tool.” The notifications and text messages poured in. Even though our argument did not have a defined winner, Kevin won this round.

It wasn’t before long, though, when I was able to seek my sweet revenge when Kevin left his Facebook up on my computer. Quite honestly, it’s the little things in the office that happen daily that make it so special.

To which he then responded:

And back again:

Only to have him pull the same prank on me with the biggest threat…guess I didn’t learn the first time…

But now with calendar ticking away, it’s only a matter of time before my next (or his) move…

Sallie

if i have a plan, i’m limited

“The reason I don’t have a plan is because if I have a plan I’m limited to today’s options.” What a statement. Not have a plan? Well, that certainly isn’t something I had ever heard from my parents. However, I believe Sheryl Sandberg got it right. Not having a plan, she argues, means that your career is always a work in progress. Interesting take.

Recently, Sheryl was featured on the front cover of Time Magazine with an article detailing her life and work, followed by an article she wrote about “Why I want Women to Lean In.” While I can’t say I agree with every part of her philosophy, her efforts to make women more confident, assertive and influential in the work force is admirable. As someone who is going into the business world, Sheryl is quickly becoming a role model for me as someone who has the ability to seize opportunities and debunk common stereotypes. She wants women to “Lean In” and titled her new nonprofit web platform just that. Here you can read her first blog post.

In August, Anne-Marie Slaughter wrote an article called “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All.” Sheryl calls this the “greatest trap ever set for women.” Why? Because, she states, “No matter what any of us has—and how grateful for what we have—no one has it all.” In high school, college, and even during the summer, I never felt I had enough hours in the day to get everything I wanted accomplished. And, I am not alone. Everyone struggles with having it all, because whatever our vision of “it” is, is constantly changing. It is with this notion, though, I believe, people can strive to always be bettering themselves.

So, back to the plan idea. I know where I’m moving because of a job. But, that’s about it. Not sure where I will go in 18 months when my rotations finish, or even what exactly I’ll do in those 18 months with work or my life. And, I’m okay with that. Because if I made a plan, I wouldn’t be open to any new possibilities that arise. Thanks for your thoughts, Sheryl.

Sallie

And one last thing…fun fact: In reading The Start Up of You by Reid Hoffman, I learned that the word “company” Latin origin means, “breaking bread together.” Bread somehow always manages to show up in every aspect of my life. This is the best.