When I first walked into The Appalachian’s newsroom my freshman year, I took one look at how crowded it was and immediately walked back out. A year later, I put on a brave face and tried again. I made it in that time and never looked back. 

When I walked into the newsroom, I made a beeline straight for the opinion desk.

I became Associate Opinion Editor my second semester with The Appalachian, working alongside and learning everything from Nadine Jallal, one of my favorite people to date. I stepped into the Opinion Editor role a year later, channeling my inner Nadine and hoping for the best. 

To say it has been smooth sailing would be a lie, and, as one can tell fairly quickly from my columns, I am not one to hide the truth. 

I’ve gotten my fair share of hate and even a four-page handwritten letter from an old man telling me all the ways my stance on abortion was wrong (with an attached reading to help prove his point). However, these things just make one thing abundantly clear — I’ve done my job quite well. 

As I embark on the next chapter of my life, a PhD in chemistry at Wake Forest University, I hold each lesson learned and each memory made close to my heart, knowing that I would not be who I am today without The Appalachian. 

In a time as uncertain as this, I leave you with one piece of advice: never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot say. Stand up, speak up and remain steadfast in your values — it is imperative. 

So, with a million more thank yous in mind, a heavy heart and an extensive list of remaining opinions, I close my lens … but only for now. Onto you, Allie.