Sometimes fate starts with a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Or at least it did for me.

When I transferred to San Diego State University, my life felt like a blank piece of paper. Or an empty Google Doc, I guess. 

I was born and raised in Irvine, where I had a solid routine and a dependable community. I was happy, but I felt stagnant. In a new city and surrounded by strangers, I felt compelled to carve out my own niche.

One of the first people I talked to at SDSU was Gabriel Schneider, The Daily Aztec’s editor-in-chief for the 2022-2023 academic year. It wasn’t because I was interested in The Daily Aztec, though. I just saw a flier that said “free Krispy Kreme doughnuts,” and I showed up.

As we talked, I learned that I could go to concerts and write about them for the school publication… for free. In addition, I could sit in a press box for a basketball game, wear a cool lanyard or even attend a screening of a movie that hadn’t been released yet. I asked where I could sign my name up.

I’m glad I pursued that doughnut. If I didn’t, my college experience would have been vastly different.

Throughout my tenure at SDSU, I fully embraced The Daily Aztec. I ventured into events I never thought I would attend, learned more about myself and met some incredible people along the way. I also got to pursue stories I never thought I’d be able to cover. 

In middle school, I wrote album reviews on a personal blog. For The Daily Aztec, I got to report from inside a mosh pit (with pen and paper in hand) at Don Toliver’s Rolling Loud set — not once, but twice. Growing up, I would always hear Echosmith’s song “Cool Kids” on the radio. In my first year at SDSU, I got to interview their bassist, Noah Sierota, at the Wonderfront Music Festival. 

Throughout my time at SDSU, I made it a goal to say “yes” to as many things as I could. This led me to the aforementioned music festivals but also pushed me into opinion writing and editing. 

I never would have embraced opinion as much as I did without Katy Stegall, who told me I should write my debut article on M&M’s and the fragmented media landscape we live in. Sure, why not?

Her encouragement led me to apply for an editor position in my senior year, but most of all she pushed me to find my voice as a writer.

If I were to thank every person who impacted me during my time at SDSU, I would far exceed the word count I’ve been allotted. But I’d like to give a few quick shoutouts. 

I greatly appreciate the professional journalists who met with me for coffee, the professors who invested time in me and the friends I made along the way. To Huy Huynh and Owen Pratt, thank you for making me feel welcome in San Diego and spending way too much time in the newsroom with me. 

None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for my wonderful parents, whose support of my education journey allowed me to write this very article and pursue my goals. 

As I take off the training wheels of college living and navigate the terrors of being a mature adult, I’m glad that I fully embraced the college experience — even with all of its panic-inducing deadlines and late-night study sessions.

I encourage everyone to find their doughnut. Whether that’s a random flier you pick up for a club you’ve never heard of or a transfer event where you can meet people, it’s worth your time. And it may just transform your college experience.