the Informer

It’s that time of the year again. It’s that bittersweet moment where seniors are excited to graduate and go out and make their way in the real world, and then there is the terror of the unknown that sets in. This especially happens if you are like me and has bypassed the graduate school route for the time being, and are faced with the harsh reality of where am I going to work? How am I going to pay back my college loans? But graduation is a wonderful time. It is a time to look at the prospects the future holds and to look back on your accomplishments during your undergraduate career.

Reflecting back on my four years here at the university and with the Informer, I have transformed into a different person, a better, stronger person. It is the people around me who have helped make this change possible. From being pushed through the door for GSU 158 to becoming the Editor-in-Chief for the last two years, I’ve grown as a person.

Ninety-six issues! Can you believe that? I have worked on 96 issues of the Informer in my time here at the university, and each one had brought its own unique trials and tribulations that cause stress and tension but also builds a solid foundation for the editorial staff. A foundation built upon late nights, pulling through at the last minute and trusting that it will all get done. I think this year we have been faced with more dilemmas, hardships and successes than any other year that I have been involved with the paper. The hard-hitting news stories that caused controversy and the issues that were covered. These things only made us stronger. I am so proud of what we as a staff have accomplished this year.

The university’s current ideal is “committed to community” and it is getting stronger each day, but I believe community starts on a smaller level. Developing working and academic relationships, and even life-long friendships become the basis for the strong communal sense that one feels. This has definitely been felt on the Informer staff each and every year I have been a part of this amazing team. It’s my home away from home.

The Informer has become my family on campus. We argue, tease, joke, collaborate, support and accept each other for who we are and I am so happy to be apart of this Informer family. I’ve had some of my best college moments with my staff and I have no doubt that we will all keep in touch in the future. There are nine of us graduating from the editorial board this year and I know that they will all go on to do extraordinary things. I have developed close relationships with all of them and I am going to miss them so much. One of the hardest parts about graduating is leaving my Informer family. Every member has been part of a support structure for me. They have been there through the good times and the bad times and never wavering in lending support in any way they can.

This year we were awarded second-runner up for the best college newspaper by the New England Society of Newspaper Editors. We also just recently found out that we are a finalist for Pacemaker for our online content. These accomplishments can only be attributed to the hard work and dedication of the devoted staff.

The print edition of the Informer and even our online content has improved so much over the last four years that I’m still shocked to see where we started. We have redesigned the whole print edition, consistently put out on Thursdays and have vastly improved our content. I am so excited to see what next year’s staff will do with the paper.

I’ve been able to do so many things here that I never thought I would ever be able to do. Such as traveling all over the country and getting stuck in Charlotte with the snow. Interviewing movie stars and administrators. The attempts at investigative journalism with the help of Dr. Desmond provided great insight into the working of the legal system and also lead us on wild goose chases. I have learned so much from my time at the Informer and I am grateful for the opportunities that I had at the university. I’m really going to miss my time here at the Informer and I’m going to miss everyone so much.

I would like to thank each and everyone on the Informer editorial board this year for your support. I also could not have made it through these last four years without the support of my family, friends and my advisor Dr. Christensen. I’m so grateful to have been able to work with such a great group of people and to be surrounded by all the love and support of everyone around me.