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Senior Reflection: Kenny St. John, Opinions Editor

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It is going to be damn-near impossible to say everything that I want to say in this reflection, so indulge my trip down memory lane for a little while. As the longest-tenured Gavelier, and the last one to personally know Tue Tran, the original Editor in Chief, I have seen this organization grow into what it is today: from a newspaper to a magazine, from roughly 12 members in total to a 30-plus member board and even more staff, and the establishment of dedicated sports, design, and video departments.

I am immensely grateful for my four years at BC. They have shaped me into the person that I am today, and have allowed me to look at things from a different perspective that I never would have gotten otherwise. I’ve come to embrace Boston’s more reserved nature as a change of pace from the loud hustle and bustle of the Long Island personality I tend to embody, and I can see myself coming back and settling down here after law school.

I stumbled across the Gavel by chance. The summer before freshman year, I was on the BC Class of 2014 Facebook page, and saw a post from Tue trying to get freshmen to join the “Progressive News Source of Boston College.”

Maybe it was my naivety, or that I wanted to make friends and find a social group on campus, or because I am a political science major and a Democrat. Whatever it was, it piqued my interest.

I had lunch with Tue the first week of school at the Rat, and he immediately took me on board as an Editorial Assistant in the Opinions section. This started a four year journey, from my first piece to my most recent one of finding the issues I’m passionate about, and of defining, defending, and ultimately strengthening my beliefs. I am immensely grateful to Tue for giving me a platform that allowed me to do this.

I also would like to thank Rob Rossi and Andrew Schofield for being mentors to me as well. These two guys are legends of Gavel folklore, and made the Gavel experience a hell of ride. I also am grateful for Meidema Sanchez for being my partner in crime during layout and causing havoc for Mason.

To my staff over the years, especially Mike, Tim, and Maddie, thank you for helping to make the Opinions section what it is today. You have been great to work with and I cannot wait to see where you take the section in the future.

To Jillian, Emily, and especially Jenna, thank you for putting up with me all these years. I always, for better or worse, have tried to be the opinionated opinions editor and spoke up to make this organization better than yesterday.

As for my advice to incoming freshmen, and for those coming back next year: treasure your time here. It goes by extremely quickly but you change for the better because of them. Find your voice, never be intimidated, and never give up. Become the person that you have always wanted to become. These words of wisdom have served me well during my time at BC, and hope they will again for you as well.


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