Since my senior year began I’ve been wishing it away. I was so excited to graduate, so excited to leave Boone and start a new chapter of my life. It wasn’t until I began to write this that I realized everything I’ll be leaving behind. Now that it’s time to say goodbye, I’m not really sure where to begin.
At the risk of sounding dramatic, I can undoubtedly say that The Appalachian has changed my life. More than just helping me realize the career I want to pursue, it has introduced me to an incredible group of people and taught me some invaluable lessons about myself and the world around me.
In the last three years, I’ve gone from being a reporter to an over-enthusiastic chief copy editor to an exhausted managing editor with an odd, love-hate relationship for this publication. I am grateful for every step of my journey, for the hundreds (thous
ands?) of hours I have spent in Room 217 and for the insane, frustrating, hardworking, inspiring people I have been lucky to call my colleagues.
I know I am not the easiest person to work with, so I want to take a moment to thank everyone who h
as endured my quirks, forgiven my outbursts and let me watch Chopped marathons in the office on production nights. There are so many people worth mentioning, but for the sake of word count I will only mention a few.
To Katie Murawski – Where do I start? There is so much I need to thank you for. For being my right-hand woman (more realistically for picking up my slack), for always being willing to meet and troubleshoot or just to vent and of course, for introducing me to some dank memes. You are so compassionate, and incredibly driven. I am lucky to call you my friend and
grateful for everything you’ve done to help ease my load this year when you were just as busy.
To Sydney Spann and Victoria Haynes – My ladies! I am so, so proud of you. In the last year I have watched you come out of your shells and run this newspaper better than I could have ever hoped to. Sydney and Victoria, you are the strong, independent women The Appalachian needs, and I am so excited to see what you accomplish next year.
To my brother, Chris – Without you, I would have never become anything more than a somewhat unreliable arts & entertainment reporter. You helped reinspire my passion for journalism when you encouraged me to become an editor, and because of you I have spent two incredible years working in this newsroom. Thank you for being the person I can always turn to, for always believing in me and encouraging me.
To those before me, thank you for paving the way. Without your encouragement and advice, I wouldn’t be where I am today. To those who will be taking over next year, thank you for continuing the legacy. The work may feel trivial at times, but never forget that what you are doing is important and will change your life, if you let it.