Note to self: if one of my columnists mentions a certain popular Georgia Southern University-themed social media account in a not so positive light, word will travel quickly and furiously.  Needless to say, my first week as the Opinions Editor for The George-Anne was certainly eventful.

When I first found out that I would be taking over this position at the end of the fall semester I was instantly convinced that I was going make my designated two pages in each issue better than they had ever been. I was going to do away with the regurgitated Fox News and MSNBC political views, and the endless advice for freshmen. However when it came down to crunch time, I found myself reluctant to put my own thoughts out there in a way that was as bold as I wished it was, and I ended up writing a piece myself that was much more bland than I intended.

I was lucky that in the same issue I had two new columnists who were brave enough to produce pieces that were fun and unique compared to my drab column about student organizations. Over the course of the week I was also lucky enough to publish a wide variety of columns, some from staff members, some from regular students, and even guest columns from a grad student, an associate dean, and the parent of a fallen eagle.

That is the great thing about pages four and five of this little paper. The limits to what we put in here are potentially endless. They were designed to help express the thoughts and opinions of the GSU community and not those of The George-Anne staff, and as cliché as it may sound, college is the time and the place for future leaders to find their voice. Think of these two pages as a place for students to express that voice, whether it is in a weekly column or a letter to the editor.

Not everything I will run over the course of my time as Opinions Editor will be serious and thought-provoking. Some of it will simply be fun and satirical, and I do not expect you to agree with any of it, but that is why it is called the opinions section. Those who are brave enough to put their opinions out there for the entire campus to scrutinize should be encouraged and not judged. If you disagree with their opinion then I welcome you to share yours through a letter to the editor or even your own column.

Sharing your thoughts and concerns in a respectful but meaningful way is how progress gets made not only within our own little community here at GSU but also out in the real world. So lets all agree to disagree from time to time because it makes life a little more interesting.