My four years at Georgia Southern University have come to an end, and Student Media is the reason I’m sad to leave but ready to fly the Eagle nest.

My time in The George-Anne newsroom and Reflector magazine office helped me form friendships that I will miss calling up on a Friday night for movie marathons. I will miss the routine Thursday happy hour to recover from our former advisor critiquing that week’s edition of papers. I will miss inspiring the next generation of staff members to seek the truth, no matter.

But I’m ready to leave.

I’m ready to leave because of Student Media. This organization prepared me in so many ways for the world that is waiting for me when I leave Paulson Stadium as an alumna. I learned how to be a professional, to make connections, to be my strong personality while remembering that not everyone wants to hear what my loud mouth wants to say all the time.  The experience I gained as a staff member, and as an intern at the outlets that Student Media connected me to, have made me ready to face the next chapter in my life once I move my tassel.

Student Media and the people in it will always be my favorite part about my time in Statesboro. So thank you, GSU. Thank you for teaching me all the things you did and for having Student Media available to other students like me who want to be the best journalist — and person — they can be.