There I am, sitting in Comm 242 during my sophomore year at Penn State, presenting a short film I made.

Now at this point in my college career, I really don’t know many people. I spent most of my freshman year playing Super Smash Bros in my Bigler dorm. But this day, in my intro film class, was the day Penn State really started to come into focus for me. That day I was approached by this scraggly-haired kid who seemed way too talkative for his own good. Turns out that guy was Jack Lukow…yes, that Jack Lukow. Jack recruited me to join Onward State and introduced me to the best outlet possible to tell the Penn State stories I wanted to tell.

Along with Anthony Lestochi and Zack Rickens, we set out to “do the videos,” and boy what a squad we had. Just for some comparison, here is the first video me and Jack did together and here is the last. The first one, I think me and Jack would agree, didn’t do the pizza justice and the last one is one of my favorite pieces I’ve done in my time here. Take a look at my favorite video I’ve done at Onward State. An unforgettable four hours.

So needless to say, thank you Jack and thank you to the Onward Staters who have made me feel at home. Onward State has given me a chance to see Penn State through a unique lens and has turned a Falco-obsessed East Halls hermit into a social butterfly (well as social as I’m going to get). I wouldn’t say I’m the quietest one on staff but that’s the thing, I don’t say much at all.

Of course I can’t neglect the other factors of college that have led to the amazing experience I’ve had. When I applied to work at the freshman heaven that is Good 2 Go, did I think I would be there for four years? No, but just like Onward State, I was accepted into a community of great people who made it nearly impossible to leave no matter how many kids ask me where the damn microwaveable popcorn is (it’s near the Aquafina 12 packs). Same goes for the Penn State filmies, who have given me warmth through those cold Carnegie nights.

So lets say an incoming freshman is reading this and wants some advice. I have an easy formula to make the best of your time at Penn State. Find what you love and find others who love the same. This is a huge place, so even if your interest is picking scabs  (I hope it’s not), I’m sure you can find at least twenty others who share that. It also helps to have the supportive, loving, family and friends that I have. A family that you love to go back to on school breaks and friends that make coming back to school a lot easier.

At this point I’m at a loss for words. Not because of the implications of writing my senior column at Onward State but because I really don’t do the “writing thing” a whole lot. Hell, it took me about forty minutes to come up with a title that was also a movie reference, and even the title isn’t completely truthful. Yes, it’s the end of my time at Onward State and this great university but its the beginning of so much more. This is still the opening credits of my life and I’m beyond excited too see where this movie is going.