Surprise! I’m graduating.

Though I’m incredibly excited to see what the future has in store for me, I can’t help but feel bittersweet about taking this next step. Not only will I be leaving many of my friends behind, but I’ll also have to say goodbye to the place that I’ve called home for the last 3.5 years. What’s more, I also have to leave my position as an opinion writer for the Northern Iowan.

I’ll sincerely miss my time here at the NI. Until I was lucky enough to join the staff, I had nowhere to share my thoughts or feelings, save for my poorly managed Finsta account. Being an opinion writer makes me feel like people care about what I have to say, which honestly is the best feeling in the world. I want to give my sincerest thanks to everyone who has read my opinion pieces – whether you’re my mom or a random person stumbling upon my article, I appreciate the read more than you know. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Even though I’ll miss my time here, I’m also trying to look ahead. In the midst of everything going on around us, I hope that I can take my experience from the NI and UNI alike and mold it into something I can use to make the world a better place. People gave me the chance to express my opinions – now it’s time for me to do that for someone else.

I’ll leave you with this advice: listen to people. Care about what they have to say. Simply by allowing someone to feel heard and seen and acknowledged, you have the power to show someone you care. It is so easy, especially in this crazy time when everything else feels out of our control. You have the power to make someone’s day; all you have to do is listen.