I’ll make this quick. I know we all have finals and projects to be working on.
To try and encompass my time on The Daily Gamecock in this letter would be a feat in itself. As a paper, we went from printing twice a week, to once a week, to now being completely digital, and that does not even begin to describe the change and growth of the past four years.
Typically the news defines monumental moments in our lives. For reporters, it's not just the news that we remember, it's the people. We talk to people when they are at their highest highs and at their lowest lows. These conversations are what have driven our reporting and will continue to long after I leave.
Reflecting on the last four years is bittersweet. There were long nights working on deadline with exams the next day. There were times when we made mistakes on a very public platform. There was a time I thought I wouldn't come back.
But the sweetness outweighs the bitterness.
We get the privilege to cover our college community and elevate the voices in it. We get opportunities to really hone our skill and get the closest to professional experience possible. But most importantly to me, I have met friends that I will have for the rest of my life on this staff.
It was building relationships with people on campus that led to my decision to switch my career path.
Looking back, I wish I invested as much in my personal relationships as I did my work. I needed the perspective that, yes, our work is important, but our lives outside of the newsroom are, too.
If you are looking for a sign to stop the assignment you are working on or take a break from grad applications — this is it.
Go invest in your relationships.