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Photo courtesy of Sebastian Bilanceri.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Sebastian Bilanceri.<\/p>\n
I have a bad habit of doing things at the last minute, and I know that I\u2019m not the only one. Sometimes it\u2019s because I\u2019m hesitant and filled with doubts, other times it\u2019s because I\u2019m genuinely busy. Maybe I work better under pressure, or maybe I just like to give myself a hard time. Either way, it didn\u2019t change the fact that I was graduating this fall, a bit sooner than I expected. I told myself that I had at least been a part of something these last couple of years, having joined the Digital Media Production Association (DMPA) here at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). As a digital media production (DMP) student, my chances in filmmaking actually felt real there, and I have met so many awesome people along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I still felt the expectation of having to be part of more, so I looked for on-campus jobs where I could put some of my education to use. I initially considered The Prospector since last year, totally not because of my cousin who began working there\u2013shoutout to you, Sebastian! However, during the previous fall and spring semesters, both of my dogs passed away. They were family and have been part of it for most of my life, and I\u2019m grateful to have been there for all of theirs. Because of that, I pushed away whatever frustrations I didn\u2019t want to deal with, including joining The Prospector. But I realized that I could only do that for so long.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I began my final semester here at UTEP, I decided to throw myself into the deep end. I applied for The Prospector as a photographer and even decided to become an officer at DMPA. Somehow, I got chosen for these roles, and I was looking forward to making the most of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s safe to say that this semester has been my busiest, but I have experienced so much. I got to cover so many interesting stories, and I even got to make a short film with my best friend\u2013shoutout to you, Aziel! I feel that I\u2019ve strengthened friendships while making so many new ones, and they, along with everything I\u2019ve learned from this campus, are what I\u2019ll carry with me as I leave here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, before I close off, I\u2019d like to make my rounds:<\/p>\n
To my Prospector staff and friends, thank you so much for everything. To Vero, Crystal, Amy and Isabel, thank you for being so engaging and supportive. I know you\u2019ll continue to take great care of this team. To Abby and Mia, thank you for being so fun and creative. You guys are true inspirations for future Prospy students. To Ximena, thank you for your calm and positive personality; I know that people can always depend on you. To Kahri, thank you for being so confident and welcoming. It has been an absolute joy to work with you. To Evelyn and Kristian, thank you for trusting me many times here. Your hard work is nothing short of admirable, and I won\u2019t forget it. To Iziah, literally, thank you for dealing with me and my photos. Your skills and creative vision are inspiring, and I know you\u2019ll continue to grow. And to Sebastian, thank you for being an endless bundle of energy and persistence. I know you\u2019ll do great things, and as long as you\u2019re happy, that\u2019s all your cousin can ask for.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To my DMPA officers, graduates, and friends, thank you for all your help and for giving me a chance. For trusting me to help continue to build this green organization of ours, and for teaching me so much on how to bring our visions and stories to life. I know it\u2019ll be in good hands, and I\u2019m excited to see you all grow beyond your imagination. Thank you, Professors Villa and Acosta, for your teachings, support, and encouragement; we couldn\u2019t do any of this without you. Thank you, Ramsey, for asking me to help with your first short film, even though you didn\u2019t know me. I\u2019m glad to have said \u201cyes\u201d to all of this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, thank you to my family. To my tios, tias, cousins, and friends, thank you for your support and advice on getting through college. To my mom, my dad and Aldo, I wouldn\u2019t be here without you all. I\u2019m forever grateful for what you\u2019ve done for me; I\u2019m so lucky to have you as my family. And lastly, thank you, Charlie and Ally, for being the lights of my life. I\u2019ll never forget you both.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For all you future Miners, I encourage you to take that leap of faith. Don\u2019t be afraid to join that club or apply for that job. And if you are, then do it scared, as I did. It\u2019s better to try now than never.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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