In Game 4 of the RDAT, I mentioned how I had tried to do something similar to Lupe Fiasco’s 12-minute Outro track with my final column for the Daily Free Press. While the wise editors determined it wasn’t worthy to print, nearly 20 years later it will now be released.

SHOUTOUTS: The 5E Fam: DJ Wicked, The Omi Dance, Sini & Rizzo, Jon ‘B’ Cataldo, Carlo & Vic, Nick, Todd ‘da mac’ Albert, Tyler & The Doorman, Becker & The King.

To Stefen Geronimo, Scott Robson, Duby & Ash. To the two girls on the 6th floor of Towers that put me onto the essence; to Carolina – you will never know, to Chris & Carey (Ski-neck, it’s just like Compton). All my Myles Standish people on the 3rd floor.

To Shana, Kara, Casey, Nina, Garrett, Pat, Eric and ‘The Tool’. To the Triple Threat: Nicole, Shana & Lisa – too much intelligence and beauty for mortal males. To Kuya Dave, RD, Oli, Fu, Cox, Mitch, Henry, Loranna and Zenda.

To Rick & Al – two brothers from the Bronx that didn’t make it to the end. To JP, Rob, La Fam, Basil and the whole Late Night Crew at Myles. To Big Rhis (Where my dogs at?). To Drew-Ha for the connect across state lines. To E for helping me think more.

To Channel 7 for confirming what was already known. To Sully for being on the other side of the glass. To Keith, Rob, Jason, Alex, Eric, Vikki, Christine and everyone at #WTBU (you know who this doesn’t include). GP – Keep running.

To true Mets fans – Chris & Gibbs. To Tim, I’ll see you out West. To 24 High Gate Street & the Asian woman that took the many glass bottles.

To Professor Jack Falla for giving me purpose. To Professor Anne Donohue for not letting me slip by. To Leila for seeing what I didn’t. To all my BJ majors (I got two words for ya…), all my Commies (we connect one way or another), to all Advanced Radioheads (Deal & get dealt with), and to Professor Primack for understanding ‘senioritis’.

And for those that have been there:

Much love to ‘my girls’ – Charity and Julie, Sophie and Sandie. As people and as a group, you’ve meant more to me that you know.

To Ed & Fuzz for taking a young buck and showing him the ropes.

To Room 215 at CGS & Dr. Maureen Foley-Reese – For four years, you believed in me. Thank you with all my heart.

To the prettiest DJ in charge, Lil Mike – Pernell Whitaker is the ‘Latino Killer’ and 94.5 is the peak. Accept it.

To Damon – The Smokey to my Craig. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, but through it all, we preserve. To learn what ‘The Boy’ means, you must not ask but look within.

To LX – No words necessary besides thanks.

And to the only person who’s seen it all: DJ extraordinaire, 3-point specialist and quiet assassin. Harneet, for all that you have seen and all that you know, I thank you most of all for sticking it out.

To those of you not mentioned by name, wonder why. To everyone else, don’t be trapped by the limitations of your thoughts or society, expand and explore. If this is it, let me die now cause there must be more.

Don’t let people tell you everything is final, only you can decide that. Pop culture sucks – that’s not all there is, search for more. Don’t player-hate, congratulate.

For all the clubs and groups at this school, didn’t they all seem motivated by race, color or creed? Move past that or live in the past.

Don’t worry what other people think. People are pretty stupid. But above all, live you life and no one else’s. And that’ the truth I’m still searching for…

A few notes after reading this again. I’m happy it wasn’t published then, but gratified that I made note of my entire collegiate experience in about 300 words. Looking back, I see names I hadn’t thought about since I was actually still in Boston. But of all the phrases that I pieced together for the close of this, one does stand out. 

That the multitude of clubs and organizations were all and still seem to be motivated mostly by race, color or creed. When I read it back, I was hoping I would provide a definition of creed, but now I note that it stands for a faith or a system of religious belief. 

But the overall point still stands true. If you claim diversity and togetherness, yet allow and encourage groups that do exactly the opposite, aren’t you part of the problem instead of the solution? I don’t have an answer, unless it’s to ensure that these same groups all come together or occasionally mix to do exactly that. Mixing and matching is what leads to compromise, something this country currently seems incapable of considering as a viable option and that’s a shame.