Where Are They Now? by Matt Lieberson

Apparently this is the kick-off effort to Headlight’s “Where Are They Now?” series, chronicling what old Headlight editors have been up to. I’ll admit that when I suggested this to Grace, it was in jest and referring to checking in on all of our old principals. But here I am, saying where I am. I’m in Nashville, Tennessee at Vanderbilt University. I write for their newspaper, the Vanderbilt Hustler, and I also recently joined the marching band and am involved in Hillel on campus. I also frequent a few barbecue joints and karaoke bars downtown.

With it being mid-October, I’m sure that all the seniors at MHS are fretting over their college decision, so the best way I could think to use this space would be to give two pieces of advice. First off, it will work out. No matter where you end up going, it will be fine. Collegiate acceptance makes everybody hypercompetitive and stressed out. But 99% of people end up at the right place for them. It may not be the coolest place to put on the board in the cafeteria, but it usually is the best place to be. Second, once you get to school, you have to be honest with yourself about who you are and what you want to do. It’s easy to think of college as a fresh start to become someone else, and that’s valid. But if you aren’t keeping within yourself and who you are, you’ll be miserable.

ties will come to you. I’ve gotten to do some great things with the Vanderbilt Hustler, covering everything from golf tournaments to concerts on and off campus. I livetweeted a Kendrick Lamar and Wale concert for the newspaper, which was hilarious for me, the whitest person I know. But the things I’ve gotten to do with the newspaper, as well as with marching band, have been thrilling.

One last thing that nobody mentions during the application process: college is hard. Like, really hard. But you get what you put in. If you work hard and are true to who you are, you’ll make it work, wherever you are.