Source: Gina Pantone-Urwin
It’s been nearly 20 years since I published my last issue of The Xavierite—a young and ambitious student Editor-in-Chief having no idea what real world landscapes might lie ahead.
I left the familiar, safe confines of the Student Media Center (a big fish in a very small pond) armed with personal press kits, unbridled tenacity, and unshaken confidence prepared to take on the journalistic universe.
Fast forward a few years and I continued to maintain a paycheck-to-paycheck existence as a grocery store cashier and restaurant server. I had plenty of bylines and free concert tickets but nothing coming close to a viable income (especially given looming student loan payments).
A guest list spot at a show doesn’t exactly put food on the table.
The print media world was rapidly dying and paying jobs were scarce. I grew increasingly demoralized and depressed, eventually caving to an entry-level job in Finance. What was supposed to be a one-year gig turned into a lifelong career, one that requires writing and utilizing my skills attained through journalism training.
For a long time I felt that my decision to pivot to Corporate America was akin to selling my soul, that I was losing my sense of self and the concept of a countercultural edge in which I had long built my personal brand, that I somehow failed.
I wrestled with my identity for a long time—ultimately coming to the conclusion that who you feel you are at 22 is only one fragment of a much grander universe.
Measuring self worth based on an arbitrary timeline is a futile battle. If you don’t land the perfect career by 25, own property by 30 (a seemingly unattainable goal for most in 2023), or visit Asia by 40—it does not equate to failure.
Trying to reach invisible goalposts is a waste of time and energy. It’s not easy to deviate from an ideal path, but keeping an open mind to find that common thread between personal expectations and available opportunities is key.
My time at Saint Xavier was invaluable. Choosing to study at a smaller school allowed for chances otherwise impossible at a large university.
The unyielding support from faculty (in particular, Dr. Bonadonna, and other professors within the English Department) was essential in shaping my future.
Leading The Xavierite to several Illinois College Press Association (ICPA) Awards against much larger student papers was a personal high point—as well as being the first class to move into Morris Hall.
The friendships and memories made during my time there will continue to bring a smile to my face for the rest of my life.
Written by: Gina Pantone-Urwin
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