Over the course of this year, I have learned several undeniable truths. One being that there is always a story behind everybody and that story deserves to be told. Two–saying goodbye is both a tragedy and a gateway to a new story in your life. And last, but certainly not least, there is so much to life and the people around you and if you blink even for a second, you may miss something that’ll change your life and the lives of those around you forever.

At the beginning of this year, I joined journalism with mixed feelings. Excitement and anxiety filled me because I had no idea who I was going to be working with and I had no idea if I would even be able to open up and gain the friendship of anyone in my class, which is why for a while I sat across from everyone and kept quiet.  I had never really been social until this year. Maybe it was just my mind telling itself that this was my year and I would charge into everything like a soldier into the heart of the battle.

Every day there was something new and interesting to look into or explore. I looked forward to coming to class every day and always adored the people I had gotten to know over the year. I think in a way, I learned how to live and enjoy my life more with this class. I had the ability to act as casual and open up to people who had shared a similar interest with me, which is an opportunity that I never really get the chance to pursue into something great and marvelous.

I cherish every day I have come into class and everything I have written. I do admit that I write this with a heavy heart and what feels like the weight of the world on my shoulders. I guess that is why it feels so hard to say goodbye to this year and to all the amazing staff in the ADM journalism department. Every smile or light chuckle I had gotten for my jokes or my eccentric behavior always boosted my self-esteem a little, I felt like for once in these long 16 years, I belonged to part of a team and that I was something greater than just a simple run of the mill high school student.There are so many things the brilliant people of this class have taught me, and I know I can never thank them enough for their kindness or their helpfulness. They were the ones to help me with my writing, they encouraged me to give my opinion and to push myself above and beyond what is really expected from me.

There are so many things the brilliant people of this class have taught me and I know I can never thank them enough for their kindness or their helpfulness. They were the ones to help me with my writing; they encouraged me to give my opinion and to push myself above and beyond what is really expected from me.

My classmates and Mrs. Basinger encouraged me to help get to the side of people that we never really get to see in a school setting. And yes even though I am still learning this craft, I feel so much more confident about what I write than what I did at the beginning of the year. The people I have gotten to meet are truly some of the best that ADM has to offer and I can not see this class being the same without the ones who helped shape the foundations of what ADM journalism really is and should be.

I don’t think I would ever trade a single moment for what I have gone through, what I’ve seen and heard, or who I have gotten to meet. I cherish every day I have come into class and everything I have written. I will proudly say that I will miss everyone I have gotten the honor to meet and that I wish them all the best with whatever this chaotic dance called life may bring them. They are all an inspiration and they all deserve the best.