As graduation approaches, thousands of students are prompted to reflect on their time at App State. Whether it be asking where you’re going after graduation, the cords you have or if you’re graduating with honors, most of the conversation tends to be focused on academic accomplishments. While these are important and something to be proud of, the true successes occurred throughout the years prior.  For...

A new “Planet of the Apes” movie comes out the week of May 11. Normally, this would be cause to don my latex monkey suit, grab my notepad and drive over to the theater in time to review it by Monday. Instead, that science-fiction epic is being overshadowed by something even more unreal: my graduation, which happens to be on May 11 too. Instead of an ape costume, I’ll be wearing a much less...

After my freshman year fall semester in 2021 as a statistics major, I made the drastic decision to instead pursue journalism, opening a Pandora’s box for the following years.  My journey began with App State Athletics, working alongside Matt Present and the baseball program during the 2022 season. Soon after, I was suggested to connect with The Appalachian’s former Sports Editor Dan Davidson,...

In August 2021, I found myself heading toward my first club meeting tucked away in the back of the Plemmons Student Union in a hallway I had no idea existed. At that point in time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do during my time in school and was just looking for something to do.   Little did I know, I was taking the first steps toward one of the best decisions I have ever made. Three years...

Four years ago, I started college…then I blinked.  At 18, I was suffocated by the small town life I was accustomed to and couldn’t wait to leave and make my mark on the world. I’d pictured my college experience for my entire life, but let me tell you what: I had never imagined the start of my college career would be hallmarked by masks, isolation and the weight of a “new normal.”  I...

When people ask me why I chose to be the Visual Managing Editor of The Appalachian, my knee-jerk reaction is to say “I like being in charge.” Everyone who knows me can attest to how much of a control freak I can truly be. It’s true, I crave the power that being a senior editor grants me.  It’s a deflection — a defense mechanism. The authority, the meticulous process of editing and reshaping...

As a proud alumnus of Wake County Public Schools, among the nation’s premier public school systems, I cannot understate how much a quality public education has shaped me. My public education taught me many important things that will stick with me for life. Great teachers can change students’ lives for the better. During our formative years, we interact with teachers every day so long as school...

As time continues to slip by, students of App State are losing sight of the history that is rooted so deeply into the place that they call home. Preserving the traditions and celebrating the culture of Boone, North Carolina, is vital in order to rekindle a strong sense of community within the population. With student body enrollment records being broken every single year, there is no better time than...