Four years ago, I dreamed of this moment. The moment when I have (almost) officially completed eight semesters experiencing the journalism world as a student. However, the long period of waiting brought me moments that are now making me grieve this phase of life that I am so incredibly grateful for. 

Growing up, I wasn’t the most academically fortunate. I distinctly remember thinking college might not be for me. Getting an acceptance letter from Rowan was one of the few times I felt like I was good enough, and little did I know, it would become the first of many baby steps to a very eventful four years. 

I thought I knew what I wanted when I first joined Rowan. I was a shy, simple girl who wouldn’t take risks because I would get too comfortable with the environment and the people around me. It took me a while to finally realize that having that simple life just wasn’t for me, and I only came to that realization the more I enriched myself in what I initially joined Rowan for, journalism. 

I feel like anyone who studies journalism cannot be considered a simple person. As student journalists, we are constantly separating our minds from our hearts, reporting on crime one day to interviewing an artist the next. We don’t focus on just one thing for four years, which is what makes us different. It’s quite beautiful and such a blessing to have been able to meet so many different types of people, doing so many different things, and be the ones to shed light on those stories. 

On the other hand, I have made some of the most amazing memories on campus, the biggest being living with my best friend. But it truly is the little things that stick with me, like the spontaneous late-night drives and the random 7-Eleven runs.

However, as easy and happy as I am making it seem, it was a lot harder to get to this point. 

Like all college students, I did go through pivotal moments that were tough, but I had to remind myself that it is better to feel hurt than to feel nothing, and having open and honest conversations with the people who care about you really does change your mindset and forces you to grow. 

My time at Rowan has been nothing but a rollercoaster. Struggling in class to become a better writer. Being hard on myself to know who I really am. Falling in love, falling out of love. It hasn’t been perfect, but there is not a single thing that I regret. 

That simple girl four years ago does not exist anymore because she took risks. She moved around, she studied abroad, she discovered newfound interests, and none of it could have happened without the people she met along the way. 

My Whit staff, my people. Past and present, I love you all. You have helped me grow into the person I am today and made me love my passion more than I could have ever imagined. Together, we will continue to fight for the importance of journalism despite the current state of the world. I have no doubt that the industry will thrive if you are the ones going out into the field. 

It’s a bittersweet feeling seeing my name in a byline for the last time at The Whit, but a feeling I am so insanely proud of. I hope everyone gets to experience the growth and love that I felt during my time at Rowan. 

To future graduates, nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. Life is constantly changing, and even if it doesn’t feel like it, you are growing every day, and seeing that growth later is what’s more important.

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