I joined The Cavalier Daily first semester, first year as an Opinion Columnist, served as the Senior Associate Opinion Editor second semester, served two years as the Opinion Editor and am closing out my last semester where it all began as an Opinion Columnist. Being on The Cavalier Daily has been my only constant during college — the only thing linking me to that 18-year-old girl fresh on Grounds. As I grew into myself, I changed, and my friends, interests, hobbies and other extracurriculars all followed suit. My major changed twice. My job changed four times, and my mentality undoubtedly changed for the better. But through all of that, I remained tied to The Cavalier Daily. In many ways, that makes this goodbye different from the others.
In all of my time with The Cavalier Daily, this is the article I both looked forward to the most and deeply dreaded. I could not wait to write it, and now that it is here, I don’t quite know what to say. Writing it means leaving, saying goodbye, graduating and embracing more change — all things I do not feel ready for after COVID-19 took hold of my college experience. Aside from the ever-present uneasiness this huge change brings, however, it is also accompanied by unequivocal gratefulness.
I am grateful for Jacob Asch, Gavin Scott, Audrey Fahlberg and Gracie Kreth for helping me find my voice during my first Editorial Board experience. I am grateful for Bryce Wyles for being my writer, my editor and my friend during my last year on The Cavalier Daily. I am grateful for all of the writers I have had the privilege of working with and editing for. I am grateful for Noah Strike, who made this experience undoubtedly more fun. I am grateful for the insight The Cavalier Daily has given me, the perspective I am taking away from this and all of the memories I made along the way. The people, the stories and the many, many laughs on late-night Zoom calls are the pieces I will continue to hold close to my heart throughout the next seasons of my life.
As I close out my time with The Cavalier Daily and the University, taking time to reflect has been an essential part of dealing with all the change. That being said, I would like to impart you with a single piece of advice that I had to learn the hard way — embrace the change.
When I look back at how much I grew and changed during my time at the University, I cannot help but feel proud. Embracing all of the change — good, bad and ugly — allowed me to find my voice as a writer, learn as an editor and grow as a person. This might be the last article I ever publish, and that is a very scary feeling. But as hard and scary as some of the change was and continues to be, I know it is only bringing new opportunities and memories I have yet to experience. I will always be grateful for my time on The Cavalier Daily and the lessons it taught me, but I am embracing this change and am excited to see what lies ahead.
And to that 18-year-old girl who first arrived at the University — congratulations, you did it. To quote Iain Thomas, “Everything has changed and yet, I am more me than I’ve ever been.”
Thank you. It has been a pleasure.
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