“See You Later KDAWG” By Jonathan Hoffman

I’ve written and rewritten this post a few times now because I’ve been trying to do the impossible task of writing down a reflection of my time at the University of Redlands. No words can exactly do my experience the justice I think it deserves, but I’ll try.

It’s been a little over a month now since I graduated and I’m getting used to the idea that I’m done with my undergraduate education. It feels as though a chapter in my life has come to a close and upon reflection, it has.

It isn’t so much that I miss the university itself. I mean, who’s nostalgic about those dirty Williams hall shower curtains or the often overcooked chicken breast at the commons? It’s the people that made my time at the university so special. It’s my friends that made Redlands feel like home.

I remember being a freshman and meeting some of my closest friends like Sam, Robinson, Angel, and Kurt by playing Super Smash Bros on the TVs in the Williams and East common rooms. Thank you for being some of my first friends on campus. Who knows how my time at Redlands would have turned out if it wasn’t for you guys.

Living with my good friend Angel during sophomore year was great. Even though his snoring took a bit to get used to, those afternoons playing ping pong or pool with him or writing political science papers by myself in the California hall common room late into the night are things I won’t soon forget.

I must say, you haven’t truly lived as a Redlands student until you pull an all nighter and, once you finish your paper, you drive to Carolyn’s Cafe when it first opens for breakfast. I’m not ashamed to say I did that more than a couple times!

Traveling from Cortner to Grossmont to Anderson halls during late night tipsy weekends to see friends highlighted my sophomore year. I loved walking across the then poorly lit quad with friends like Dylan and Tyler in the dead of night.

Whether we were returning from frat parties or simply traveling between dorms, if we drank enough or talked long enough, the walks on those sometimes cold and dark nights were full of laughter and felt warm.

The spring semester of junior year was special to me because it marked a return to campus after being away from Redlands in the fall due to the Covid pandemic. I loved binge watching Grey’s Anatomy with my Brockton apartment roommate Sophie and jamming to music, cooking, or partying with my other roommate Sara.

That was also the first semester I took the position of Assistant Station Manager at KDAWG. That semester, Megan, the current outgoing Station Manager, and I felt like the rulers of the Gannett center. We each had a set of keys to the station and often played music, held office hours, and just hung out in the station with each other and friends. That semester was when I first felt an intense connection to KDAWG.

Senior year was a blast. I lived in Brockton with my friends Angel, Kurt, and Bibi. I think I may have made more friends during that year than I ever have during a single year in my life. I like to think that Megan and I became even better friends this past year. I visited her apartment so often I feel as though I was an honorary roommate of Brockton apartment 212.

In January of this year I was on a step counting craze. So shoutout to some of my walking partners like Gracie, Sara, Kathleen, and of course the best dog Ruth for keeping my calves toned!

This past year I spent a lot of time goofing around with my friends Jarin, Carlos, and another longtime friend Angel. Watching anime, playing volleyball on the sand courts, going to KBBQ for two hours at a time, having intense Super Smash Bros sessions, and cooking up massive tomahawk steaks were just some of the moments I loved when around those guys.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about my favorite sorority girls from Alpha Sigma Pi. Bella, Sophie, Sammi, Kaitie, Rachel, and Grace are psychos and I love them. There was never a dull moment with them.

Off-campus parties at the N Lincoln St. house, Redlands Community Hospital visits, the spilled drinks on the KDAWG carpet, the late night McDonald’s runs, the weekend in Big Bear, the “always lit” date nights, Jonathan’s Jungle Juice, and after hours “admiration” of traffic signs are just a handful of the memories I’ll think of when I look back at my time spent with the Sigmas.

I was the third member of my family to go to the University of Redlands after my dad and brother. Before attending Redlands, I was hesitant to come here because I didn’t want to live in my family members’ shadows.

The time I spent with all of my friends and the time I dedicated to KDAWG helped me carve my own rich Redlands experience. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the moments I shared with each and every one of you. Thank you all for continuing to be an important part of my life.

I leave the University of Redlands and KDAWG smarter, stronger, and more prepared for the world than I was four years ago. I know Megan and I are proud of our work over the past couple years. I’m glad we were able to help people create content that was both fun and meaningful to them. We are more than excited to hand the keys to the station off to amazing rising juniors like Marin and Katie.

I truly believe that KDAWG has the power to be the most important club at Redlands. The power of media for entertainment and news is more important now than ever before. KDAWG, in conjunction with the Bulldog Newspaper, need to be the voices of the student body on campus and they need to work to keep administration policy making transparent and accountable.

I visited the Redlands campus again recently, during the last weekend of May term. True to my beliefs stated earlier in this post, most of the campus didn’t feel all that sentimental to me except for two things. Happy memories flooded my mind when I spent time with my friends still on campus and I felt a sort of magic when I visited KDAWG one last time.

No matter how much time passes, my friends and KDAWG will always be the most cherished aspects of my college experience.

So now this Bulldog alum will log off for the last time, content to leave this chapter of my life in my memories. I’ll simply leave you with a quote from longtime baseball broadcaster Ernie Harwell that I think sums up my sentiments:

“It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure.”