This semester was one for the books and probably my best one yet. I became the culture editor for Lindenwood’s student publications, I published a story on dating violence which brought light to emotional abuse and I even had the chance of interviewing someone who gave me the chance to share her story, and I will be forever grateful.

In March, I had the opportunity to become editor-in-chief for the Lindenwood community of Odyssey. It’s been quite the change, adjusting to a new responsibility and making it all fit into my schedule, but here we are, a month and a half in and I love it.

This semester, I’ve had the chance to cover events and interview so many interesting people, I’ve had the opportunity to help others improve their writing and express my thoughts and ideas at meetings. I never thought I’d say this, but getting my voice heard is one of the best feelings ever.

Being in this field has brought me out of my shell. When I first began, I was shy and had trouble making friends. I wouldn’t talk unless I was spoken to and I didn’t voice my thoughts.

Now, I love talking to people. I have made so many friends who make this whole thing a little more fun. I feel a sense of belonging, I feel wanted and I feel as if I’ve found a family away from home. After all, we spend many long hours and nights here in our lab figuring out ways to improve and brainstorming new ideas.

In the midst of adjusting to my new responsibilities, I nearly forgot that after December, it’s all going to be over. It didn’t hit me until I was registering for my last semester of classes when I realized that suddenly, I was going to have to start all over.

I realized that in just a few short months, I wasn’t going to come to school and see all of these amazing people every day anymore. I was going to have to get a new job and start all over where nobody knew who I was, and that terrified me, but that’s apart of growing up.

As we head into the summer, I’ll continue working and I’ll continue brainstorming ideas so we can continue being the best we can be.

This fall, I have the opportunity to be involved with Lindenwood’s student television station, which will be a whole new experience for me, since I have never been on camera or worked extensively with them before.

Since it will be my last semester, I’ll make the best of it and I’ll make it count. It probably won’t hit me that this is my last semester until I’ve officially graduated, but I’ll try not to think about it until then because I know it’ll make me cry.

Spring 2018 has been my best semester to date and I’m just getting started. Here’s to fall 2018, let’s make it count.