March 22, 2017 The Signal page 9

Editorial

Hard work in school leads to future successes

Sun beaming on my face, palm trees blowing in the wind and my toes buried in the sand — an ideal spring break for most, but I just wanted to head home, work and watch endless movies on Netflix. From Florida to Cancun — to even as close as the Jersey Shore — many students headed out for a much-anticipated spring break and were eager to laugh and make memories amongst their friends. While that may seem like a great time to many, I was eager to put on my comfiest clothes and do nothing for the entire week. I prefer working, relaxing and enjoying home-cooked meals than spending a fortune of money on a vacation. To some people it may sound crazy, but right now I would rather save money to move out and have my own apartment one day than spend it on a vacation with my friends. I’ve realized a lot throughout my collegiate career. I’ve come to know what I want in life, how important making it in this world is and what it takes to get there. Staying at home over break was one step closer to proving I’m ready to be out in the real world instead of spending the money I don’t have… for what? A short-lived week of fun? Being on your own, having a job and paying bills scares some people, but I can’t wait for that day to come. I love my family and my home, but I’m yearning to get out, move where I want and work to provide for myself. I never used to be like this, so what changed? When I transferred to the College after attending West Virginia University, known as a huge party school, I needed to get my life in order. My mind was focused on all of the wrong things. I constantly needed to be out doing things and could never enjoy a quiet night at home. Coming home while my friends were away at school gave me an opportunity to see that there is so much more to life. I quickly got my priorities in line when I came home. I started working, attending classes and maintaining good grades. In my mind, it’s important to work hard now and focus on participating in extracurricular activities, stepping out of your comfort zone and really challenging yourself. When you see all of the things you can accomplish, you realize that hard work does pay off. I’m so thankful that I have been granted the opportunity to earn a degree from the College and conquer what used to seem impossible. Growing up isn’t easy, but it’s all about the steps we take to get there, what we learn from our mistakes and how we improve each and every day. —Ashton Leber Social Media Editor

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AP Photo

Spring break can become a distraction from your true ambitons.

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Editorial Staff Chelsea LoCascio Editor-in-Chief locascc1@tcnj.edu Connor Smith Managing Editor smithc57@tcnj.edu George Tatoris News Editor tatorig1@tcnj.edu Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editor gonzam23@tcnj.edu Alyssa Gautieri Features Editor gautiea3@tcnj.edu Thomas Infante Arts & Entertainment Editor infantt1@tcnj.edu Mia Ingui Opinions Editor inguim1@tcnj.edu Michelle Lampariello Nation & World Editor lamparm2@tcnj.edu Elizabeth Zakaim Reviews Editor zakaime1@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Forcina Hall The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Brielle Bryan Production Manager bryanb2@tcnj.edu Kyle Elphick Web Editor elphick1@tcnj.edu Ashton Leber Social Media Editor lebera1@tcnj.edu Jason Proleika Photo Editor proleij1@tcnj.edu Maximillian C. Burgos Sports Assistant maxburgos66@gmail.com Heidi Cho News Assistant choh2@tcnj.edu

Emilie Lounsberry Adviser lounsber@tcnj.edu Thomas Munnia Business/Ad Manager tmunnia@gmail.com

In an article published two weeks ago entitled “IMM department celebrates largest graduating class,” it was said that this year’s graduating class is the largest, but this year’s graduating class is the same size as last year’s. The department has had a 42 percent increase in graduates over the last three years.

Quote of the week “These people have grown up in the United States — they have no conscious memory of life in any other country.” — R. Barbara Gitenstein, president of the College