This is my last article for the Etownian. That sentence was not comfortable to type out. When this issue comes out, I will be about three weeks away from graduation. That wasn’t any more comfortable to type. The future is still so unknown for me, so for this final piece of mine, we’re going to take a trip to the past.

I entered college unsure about what I wanted to major in. I had a vague idea that it would probably be within communications, but that first year, I was still trying to figure things out. One way I did this was by finding opportunities on campus that allowed me to dive into my interests. I’ve always loved to write, and I thought I might want to be a journalist someday, so when I saw a poster in Schlosser advertising the Etownian and saying they were looking for writers, I took a leap of faith. I started writing for the Features section, and as evidenced by my position as Features Editor, I never left.

I still remember my first article. Etown was holding a panel event to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. This was during COVID times, so I was tucked away in my dorm room, watching this Zoom event and taking notes. I conducted my first ever interview for that article, as well. I felt so proud of that piece, and since that point, I have seen my writing skills growing bit by bit.

In the spring semester of my sophomore year, I applied to be the Assistant Features Editor. I was incredibly nervous about stepping into this position, but it was a call with Sophie Hanenfeld (who was then stepping into the Features Editor role) that calmed my fears. Without that initial conversation, I’m not sure I’d be where I am today with the Etownian.

The Assistant Features Editor role was a fun challenge. I was able to apply some of my graphic design knowledge through using Adobe InDesign for layouts, and I still had the chance to write. I was able to see a bit of what the newsroom experience is like, even though it was still returning back to normal from the pandemic. While I was only in that position for a semester, I learned so much.

This year, I have been fortunate enough to be the Etownian’s Features Editor. It has been a bit of a step up from the Assistant role, but I think I have handled it well. My ability to do my job and not have a mental breakdown every week is heavily supported by the entire Etownian staff, but especially my Assistant Features Editor, Samhar Almomani. He is a helpful, hard-working and genuinely fun person to work with, and I don’t think I could have asked for a better Assistant Features Editor.

I went from not knowing what I wanted to do to getting ready to graduate early after only three years of college. I’ve seen the progression of how the College has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath. The last few years have been some of the most formative of my life. I don’t quite know what life is going to look like once I leave Elizabethtown College, but I’m excited for the journey ahead.