By Garrick Hoffman, Liberal Arts Major

I was rejected from USM and UMaine Orono when I applied to both at the age of 18. I can see why: my grades were mediocre (or “meh,” if you’re a Millenial), I wasn’t an active student, I didn’t play sports for the school, and I wasn’t into anything extracurricular. I had no merits to earn a “Superstar Student” award, let alone be accepted to those colleges. Maybe a “High Five For Efforts” award, but that’s about it. But those colleges saved my ass by rejecting me, because four years later I was fortunate to be accepted to SMCC, where I have been transformed for the better.

My SMCC career began in 2012 when my life felt lackluster and devoid of purpose. I also felt a thirst for learning and knowledge, so college seemed like good medicine for both of these. My newfound curiosity was entirely alien to me, a former video game zombie who spent most of his time sedated, working at a convenient store, eating questionable food in excess, watching movies and television in excess, drinking in excess, and taking bong hits for breakfast. I’d also play guitar and drums, but that little description doesn’t fit in here with the rest of the unadmirable things.

And then I began reading books at some point. And watching documentaries. And exercising. And hiking. And you know…giving a shit about life. The list goes on. So yeah, that whole “bong hits for breakfast” lifestyle has been long abandoned (can I get a hallelujah?).

At some juncture in my very first semester, I decided to write for The Beacon, and was admittedly exuberant to see my writing in printed form. I continued for the entirety of 2012, took a year off to do some traveling and some different work, then came back in 2014, ready to write again. I helped edit here and there. Eventually the advisers said I was “OK” enough to be the actual editor, instead of of just being a wannabe editor. So they hired me. The rest is…wait…how’s that cliche go?

My attempt at humor aside, I want to sincerely address everything SMCC and The Beacon have done for me.

Being a liberal arts major, I’ve had the privilege of not pigeonholing myself into any specific field for my first two years – mostly because I didn’t know what my ultimate goal was – and I’ve been able to study very comprehensive subjects. Which I guess fits my “Renaissance Man” aspiration neatly.

I’ve learned such a dizzying array of new things, honed skills, and explored myself. I’ve experienced a host of things I wouldn’t have been able to without SMCC or The Beacon, like interviewing Eliot Cutler, shaking Bill Clinton’s hand, speaking with Sen. Angus King, and watching Paul LePage embarrass himself at an Eggs & Issues event.

Yeah, a lot of political matters right there as you can see. But I also went whitewater rafting with the Business Club once, and have participated in all sorts of other things I wouldn’t have without my time at SMCC.

I’ve also experienced intimate friendships and kinship. I’ve been tremendously fortunate here. I cannot stress that enough. I thought that Dido’s “Thank You” was a tearjerker, but reflecting on the people I’ve met at SMCC totally rivals that. I’ve met people – students, faculty, and staff – who have enriched my life so substantially that it’d require an entirely separate (and certainly poignant) “Farewell” column, but I can at least take a stab at it.

Genevieve Cox and David Stankiewicz, thank you for putting up with my loquaciousness, and for being seriously rad people. Shane Long, thank you for who working way too hard for your students. Also, thank you Karen Gordon, for being a super sweetheart and helping me with my extreme deficiency in math; Amy Havel, for being absolutely hilarious, and for getting me my tutoring job years back; and Justin Amoroso, for your philosophical fervor, for meeting with me for a Beacon column, and for staying in touch. And thank you to all the professors and instructors and staff whom I can’t list here but who have influenced me somehow.

And of course, a plethora of thanks to my three favorite staff/faculty members, Chuck Ott, Rachel Guthrie, and Anna Medina, all of whom were not just my advisers and employer, respectively, but who were – no, are – my friends. I can’t stress enough my love and gratitude for these people.

Southern Maine Community College really emphasizes the “community” component of its name. There is incredible kinship at this college. Despite it being the largest community college in Maine, it’s small and tight-knit enough to unite people and foster relationships – something any student would yearn for in their college experience.

But, perhaps just as importantly, SMCC has also expanded my mind in every direction of the compass, and all for the better. I suppose that’s the point, right?

Thanks, SMCC. I owe ya one.