By Matthew Sotlar / The Jambar
Hello everyone, it’s me, Matt Sotlar, and if you don’t know me, you do now. I hope everyone had a fantastic summer and has a very productive fall semester.
This is my second welcome back column, and unfortunately, my last. By this time next year, I will have passed my columnist title onto someone else. They won’t be Matt Sotlar, but hopefully, they’re just as witty and insightful.
What have I been up to over the summer? Not much, I won’t lie. I don’t like to travel, but my girlfriend and I went to New Jersey for a weekend in early May — not Atlantic City. I had fun, and I highly recommend the Lamp Post Diner in Blackwood — best chicken and waffles this side of the Mississippi.
Other than the trip to New Jersey, I hung out with my friends, listened to a lot of good music and did a good amount of walking, hiking and reading. I’m a simple man — I don’t need to go out every night to have fun. I’d be far less happy if I did that.
Now that summer’s coming to an end and everyone’s easing their way back into classes, I feel a bit sad writing this column. Two years ago, I wrote my first column, which was about the Canfield Fair, and it was not good — not one bit. However, I’ve improved from that column, and now, this is my last “Welcome back.”
I’ve made and will continue to make lots of amazing memories at The Jambar. I’ve met people I would’ve never imagined meeting, been to places I would’ve never visited and most importantly, I’ve learned.
I’ve learned a lot about journalism and copy editing — topics that would’ve bored the life out of me in high school, but this time I took in what I was being taught. I can film a story, write it and then anchor it. I’m basically Quentin Tarantino.
Along with cameras and copy editing and all the other important Cs of journalism, I’ve learned a lot about people. I’ve met some fantastic people along my journey. There have been rockstars, activists, authors and business magnates, and those are just the ones I can remember.
I’m not trying to sell you on journalism or working at The Jambar — even though it’s a fantastic publication run by even more fantastic people — I’m just recollecting all of my experiences in the past two years. From my start as a multimedia journalist and columnist to news editor,multimedia journalist, columnist and anchor, I’ve come a long way. My resume will be impeccable.
At last, I must acknowledge those who made this all possible for me — my Jamily, the Jambar. I’ve seen many amazing people come and go here, people who took the time to show an inexperienced English major the ropes of journalism and people who I am proud to not just call my friends or coworkers, but my Jamily.
As the final first semester of my college days kicks off, I say one final time, welcome back, everyone. Have an amazing year.