On changes

When I graduated college in 2005, I figured that would be one of my last — if not the last — graduation moments. But I had another one this week, and can’t help but think it’s more than a coincidence that it should happen to fall during Graduation Week. Yesterday was my last day as adviser for the college newspaper I’ve advised for the past five years. The instructor who was the adviser before me is coming back on board, and although I’ve known for a few months now that I won’t be returning to my adviser-ly duties in the fall, it really, really began to sink in yesterday at the last staff meeting. I’ve wondered from time to time if I’m making an impact on my students, and well, they left me speechless yesterday with a little surprise in the last issue of the year…
They wrote wonderful little farewell messages to me; there were even messages from former staff members. I also wrote a little note of my own for them…

Rarely are we given the opportunity to go home again. Life — and time — marches on, and we march forward with it. But sometimes, we do find ourselves wanting to go home again, if only for awhile, to see where we’ve been and to see just how far we’ve come.

For the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to go home just a little bit. In fact, I last wrote for the Kaleidoscope exactly 10 years ago this month. I was the editor-in-chief then. And for the last five years, I’ve been the adviser, which is why I can’t help but feel as though things have come full circle. I’ve watched you all, the staff, grow and learn and get excited about this very important job of being a journalist.

When people ask me what an adviser does, I always reply, “I mold future Woodwards and Bernsteins.” But you helped me grow and learn too. You’ve made me a better writer and a better leader.

In the coming months, your own home is going to change. As you move into the new Student Center, remember that you’re also moving into a new era of journalism. The Web. Videos. Social media. They all come together. They all come together to help tell the story because, at the core, that’s what journalism is all about. Telling a story in a compelling, truthful way.

Even though my time as adviser is coming to an end, your journey of storytelling is just beginning. I look forward to seeing where it takes you. And I thank you for letting me come home again.

These are the moments that make it all worth it, aren’t they? The moments of stress and being bogged down by deadlines don’t seem so horrible when viewed through the lens of the bigger picture. When I look at it that way, I suppose I have a lot to thank them for too.

P.S. The top two photos were taken in my office. I couldn’t help snapping a few commemorative shots. 🙂