There were many times I’ve thought to myself, “graduation will never come.” Now, it’s days away and I still can’t believe it. A graduation in December is strange enough, but the fact that I’ll actually get to walk across the stage is even stranger.

If you had told the wide-eyed freshman who came here in the fall of 2015 she would be running the school newspaper by the time she graduated, she would have shaken her head in disbelief and said, “that’ll never happen.”

I’ve been a theater major through my whole college career so working on the paper definitely wasn’t on the agenda. But I had always enjoyed writing and I had heard we’d get paid $10 a story so I figured why not, it’d be a good way to pass the time.

“Besides, nothing too crazy happens on this campus anyway,” I thought and we all know how that worked out.

I’m so glad I decided to attend a writers meeting in January 2017. Through working at The Inkwell, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful students and faculty members, learn how to operate in a workplace, handle a leadership position and travel to Minneapolis and New York City.

Moving up from Staff Writer, to Arts & Entertainment Editor, to Editor-in-Chief (EIC) has been an incredible experience.

Since becoming EIC, there were a few times where I thought there’s no way I can handle all of this and get the paper out on time. But, with a lot of help from others and taking it one day at a time, a paper has been published every week.

Working as an EIC is challenging to say the least, but it’s helped me grow so much as a person.

Students on this campus have faced more than their fair share of challenges over the last few years, but I hope the hardships have helped the students and the school become stronger.

I’m excited to see where the new EIC will take this paper next semester and I hope the staff will stay true to the standards of journalism, freedom of the press, giving all students a voice and holding those in power accountable.

My last piece of advice is: students, leave your rooms. Make time for yourself and friends. Go to that event that you’ve seen a flyer for a hundred times in a week. You never know who you’ll meet or what opportunities you’ll find.

I’m forever grateful for everything I’ve learned here and I’m excited to walk across that stage now as an actress, a director, a writer and a chief.

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT