It’s hard to say goodbye to journalism. A part of me has been shaped by my experiences with journalism, and I thank journalism for changing me in ways I never expected. I’ve written for two separate student newspapers over the course of five years, and ever since I first joined a student newspaper, it’s been an adventure.  

Five years ago, journalism was new to me, and I didn’t know what to expect. I never expected I would lead my high school newspaper. I never expected I would teach Watergate and journalism to a classroom of amateur reporters. I certainly never expected to join a college newspaper after high school, but I did.  

Everything that came along with journalism, at least for me, came unexpectantly, and I am grateful for all of it. I sometimes wonder how my life would be different if I hadn’t ever gotten involved with journalism. 

Looking back, getting involved with journalism helped me grow as a person. My experiences in student newspapers challenged me to become more resilient, more courageous and more merciful. 

Being a good journalist, as I have discovered, requires the ability to empathize with others even when you don’t always see eye-to-eye with another person. Being involved with a newspaper taught me how to be tough and how to lead others in ways I didn’t anticipate. 

I’ve written many stories over the years. Stories of healing. Stories of heartbreak. Stories of joy.  I’m constantly amazed by how powerful a story can be for others. The power of stories kept me involved with newspapers over the years. 
 
Journalism made me realize how powerful words are. When someone comes up to you and tells you how a story you’ve written impacted people they knew for the better, it makes you feel you’ve made a difference in someone’s life. Knowing something you’ve written has made a difference in someone’s life is one of the best feelings a writer can have. 
 
When I unexpectedly became the scene editor at the Creightonian, I did not know how it would work. Thankfully, the Creightonian was filled with passionate individuals that were willing to help each other, and I’m grateful for their support over the years. Learning is a constant in life, and with every article I’ve written, I’ve learned something new. 
 
With journalism, I learned not to be afraid of a different perspective, not to be afraid to voice a different perspective, and not to be afraid to try something new. Thankfully, I got involved with journalism and stayed involved with my community. I met so many people with my newspaper experiences that it’s hard for me to comprehend how I would have developed friendships without journalism.  

Journalism can be tough at times, but the way it changes other people’s lives, as well as yours, makes it worthwhile. However, I’ll miss the last-minute scramble to get the stories altogether, I’ll miss reading the stories I get to edit every Monday night, I’ll miss the nights where the staff gathers together to create the newspaper spreads, and I’ll miss the people I’ve met thanks to the Creightonian. 

Now, it’s time to try something new. While it’s bittersweet to leave journalism behind, I leave with the comfort that trying something new is what led me here to this.