Dear Graduating Sociology Majors,
The Sociology faculty are disappointed that graduating seniors will not have a ceremony to attend with their friends and families. We appreciate all of your creativity, hard work, and commitment to creating better neighborhoods, communities, and societies. We wish we could be there in person to congratulate you and celebrate with you. This is an important time to commemorate and reflect on your time at East Bay and look forward to your next steps – and especially to celebrate all of your hard work and accomplishments
The Sociology faculty decided to commemorate graduation in a way that fits our times. With the help of Dr. Cardaras in The Department of Communication, we invite you to publish in The Pioneer Online your reflections on graduating, your work to achieve this milestone, your time at East Bay, or your thanks to the people who helped you along the way. You may also wish to talk about graduating during Covid-19 times. Use your heart and your imagination to write a statement that reflects you and your experiences at East Bay. This is completely voluntary, but we hope many Sociology graduates will participate and believe it will create a lasting tribute to your accomplishments.
All the best,
The Sociology Faculty
“I know life rough when nobody really knows what ya been through
Just hold on firm, when nobodies there, ya always got to
And I know you’ve heard this all before [?] Me tell you now
What I know now, back in the day I really wish I do”
When I graduated from high-school in 2009, I had no knowledge of what to expect from life. I was only guided by my school to the finish line of high-school, but no preparation of life outside of school. I messed around out in the world getting into trouble and waking up at 22 years old and realizing that I don’t want to continue to do what I was doing anymore. I started at a trade school for pharmacy technician and realized that wasn’t my flow, so I started working for a catering company, doing various side jobs, and founding myself working for a home remodeling company. At the home remodeling company, I did everything from demolition, bathroom, kitchen, painting, cabinets, tiling and flooring. When I was remodeling a home with travertine tiling working with my back bent to the ground eight hours a day, six days a week. Eating only a banana and a cup of coffee, it was then I realized it was time to go back to school. I quit in 2015 and made my start at Diablo Valley College in 2015 at age 24.
“It doesn’t matter when you start, it’s about how you finish.”
My journey at East Bay begin in Fall of 2018 and before the semester started I had a heavy heart, my auntie passed away in May and a month into the semester, I lost my uncle and cousin in September followed by losing my biological father in November. I was left with the choice to finish my first semester during finals week or go back to the Philippines and see family I haven’t seen since I was a toddler. I made the difficult decision to finish my first semester which only motivated me more to finish out my Bachelors within the two years. Along my East Bay journey I was able to meet five people from my classes in Ms. Susan Ingram and Mr. Thomas Long at the East Bay Concord campus that I still connect with today. I forever will be grateful for them and I wish them nothing but the best.
As May of 2020, we are here faced with a step into the world marred by controversy of a virus we can’t see, only feel when the sickness gets us. I finished high-school in 2009, faced with reality that there were no prospects of job opportunities because of the housing crisis and fast forward to 2020 we are faced with a situation of high unemployment and death. My feeling about graduating is bittersweet, leaving me feeling like I still have an assignment due. I’m happy to reach the finish line of my bachelor’s degree, but something tells me I’ll return to further my education in the future. It is not the end, but it is to be continued…
“Life short and time flies
Just hold on, enjoy the ride
One minute you’re sneaking out your mums, have fi go a party
The next minute, singing lullabies
Like [?] Long days and fast nights
Wrong turns and stop lights
Life is a journey
Remember me tell you you’re blessed, you’re alive
You only get one life”