Voices
6
It’s so hard to say goodbye
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Where do I begin? Although I knew the day would
come in which I would have
to finally bid my farewell to
my alma mater, my dear ole’
Grambling, reality is not going
to set in for me until my name,
Candice Sherrie Dixson, is beginning called. It’s been a long,
event-filled and interesting (to
say the least) journey, but I’m
more than proud to say: it’s
over, to a certain degree.
I began my time here at
Grambling State University
years ago, that when I was a
freshman the course that is
now called First Year Experience was called Freshman
Seminar (I won’t bore you with
exactly how long it’s been). I
was the epitome of a freshman
you did not want to pan after.
I barely went to class, I hung
out on the ‘Yard’ and went to
all of the parties. I didn’t care
about my education. I figured I
had much time ahead of me so
why not enjoy my youth while
I still could.
I paid for my mistakes,
tremendously. I flunked out
of school (which on paper is
called being on SAP- Student
Academic Probation) for
more than a semester. During
the times I wasn’t registered
in school I could still be seen
on campus, at events, house
parties (as we now call them
‘kickbacks’) as if I were still
a Gramblinite. So I decided
to send an appeal letter to
the university- I gave them a
sob story about how much I
wanted to be readmitted to
the university and I would
this time be dutiful to my
studies. After being readmitted I not only went to class
but I sat in the front of class,
asked questions, turned in
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extra credit- the whole nine.
Back in 2008 (yes I’ve been
here that long, actually longer)
I decided to stick my head in
the front door of The Gramblinite and I was glad I did.
I studied the professionalism skills of those who have
left milestones such as Darryl
D. Smith, DeEric Henry,
Justin LaGrande, Dasha
Flournoy, Christopher Harmon, Juston Jackson, Imani
Jackson, Justin Madden, Qiyas
Smith and Tierra Smith. After
attending several meetings, I
decided to begin writing and I
fell it love with it. I then knew
I wanted to major in mass
communication.
I started to attend a few
parties occasionally and
before I knew it, my old ways
had started to resurface. I
still hadn’t learned my lesson,
yet. It wasn’t until the passing
of my father that I realized
“Candice, you might want to
get it together, and fast”.
That was in 2012. Reality had set in that life, being a
precious gift from God, can be
taken from you at any minute.
I then told myself that because
I started something so long
ago, I would make it my duty
to finish, no matter how long
it would take me. As Homecoming and TigerFest activities
would come around, I would
run into people that I began
school with and I would here
the “you’re still here?” “when
are you going to graduate?”
questions and a few shady
comments were rendered as
well. I didn’t let it bother me,
but I allowed it to motivate me
to be serious about finishing.
But I wasn’t still wasn’t
ready. I wasn’t in a suitable
position, financially, so I
Courtesy photo
Candice Dixson learned from some of the best former editors
and passed her knowledge along to current staff.
then decided that I would
volunteer to deploy overseas
with the military for a year,
return to Grambling, and
finish strong. I left the United
States with an attitude that
nothing would get in my way
of succeeding and I returned
with that same attitude, but
with more force behind it.
These last two years at
GSU have been a roller coaster for me, some good times
as well as some bad times.
One time in particular
I remember- I not only
thought I wouldn’t graduate,
but I also thought I wouldn’t
live much longer. I began to
become very sick and was
hospitalized for a long period
of time- I had an IV in my
arm and was administered
with a narcotic every four
hours. I lost a great amount
of weight, wasn’t able to eat
anything, and I couldn’t stand
on my feet longer than ten
minutes. The doctors thought
I had cancer. After having a
series of tests run on me, it
was revealed to me that I did
not have cancer but in fact
sarcoidosis (a collection of
inflammatory cells).
After being released from
the hospital, I spent two
weeks recovering, but I still
wasn’t back to my normal
self. I had trouble eating
small portions of food and
I couldn’t drive my car. One
night, I was unable to sleep
and broke down in tears
because I didn’t understand
what was going on with me;
I felt as if I were being punished. I prayed, and I listened.
Going through a moment of
physical adversity was never
meant to break me as an
individual, but for me to see
by God the person he wanted
me to me, and just shows
how strong I really am.
Every now and then I
sometimes laugh at some of
the things that have happened
to me in life. I never share my
story with people for sympathy, but as a tool to motivate
others and to show them that
everyone has a struggle - it
can either break you or it can
make you.
It’s time for me to bring
this to an end before my
tears take over this keyboard
and a work order has to be
placed in to fix it. There are
three people I would like to
thank for always believing in
me and at times seeing more
in me than I saw in myself:
Professor Will Sutton. Undeniably, the most attentive person I have ever known. Mr.
Sutton, thank you for always
handing me my work back
to me and telling me “see
the edits,” because it showed
me to pay more attention
to detail and to take myself
more serious as an individual.
I won’t let you down.
Ms. Wanda Peters, thank
you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of such a
great staff. You’ve humbled
me more than once and I will
forever be grateful for that.
And fi