Everyone’s college experience is different and exclusive to them. Mine has been a whirlwind since 2019. I started out with Racer Academy dual credit classes in my senior year of high school to offset my general education classes, then the pandemic hit.

I wasn’t granted a “walk across the stage” moment in high school, I never really saw it as a big deal. I’m not very big on recognition and being the star of any show. I prefer to keep my head down and keep working. Once I started my on campus career at Murray State, I was ready to indulge in any challenges thrown my way and I was beginning my college journey as a sophomore.

At the start of the spring semester in 2021, I only attended two classes in person and next thing I know I was in Washington, D.C. I joined the military during the summer of 2019 because I was told about tuition coverage and that’s how they got me (I know, I sold my soul to the government). I ended up guarding the Capitol from February until late April- ultimately I dropped the spring semester that year due to uncertainties of what would happen while I was in D.C.

After I returned from D.C., I committed to a deployment and spent the rest of 2021 training for my first overseas deployment. I decided to start back my classes that fall and that was a difficult decision- between an intense monthlong training and attempting to complete online assignments, I wanted to rip my hair out.

I skipped the spring semester of 2022 because I wasn’t sure how travel would interfere with my assignments for the deployment. I started back again online that fall and my professors were gracious enough to work with the time zone difference. I passed all my classes and looked forward to the start of 2023.

The next year presented its own celebrations and challenges. I got engaged in New York at the beginning of the year and I started working at The Murray State News for the 2023-2024 academic year. Planning a wedding during the fall semester was tiring along with my other commitments to the National Guard, my classes and The News. I made it work though and in the spring semester of 2024 I applied for the Editor in Chief position at the campus newspaper.

I was offered the position and accepted it not knowing what the 2024-2025 academic year held. I went to Fort Polk last summer for the month of July as part of our annual training. Little did I know at the time, my husband and I would collectively make the decision for him to deploy again while I finish college.

The two hardest months I dealt with were September and October of last year, not just because of the deployment but managing the newspaper, assisting with Gateway production, fulfilling class requirements and so much more. Now, here we are in April looking to next month’s finish line.

Unfortunately, I won’t make it to this graduation either but I’m at peace with my decision. I will be gone to further my career in the National Guard and explore other career opportunities. As I reflect on my college journey, it has been anything but typical. Sometimes I look back and think of how I should’ve just dedicated my time to classes and assignments, but I am honestly glad I made the decisions I did. I learned how to persevere and how to be resilient. I got an opportunity to go overseas and explore other cultures.

So, this is a farewell to The Murray State News and to the University. Thank you for the challenges you gave me and for challenging me in different ways. Thank you to my editorial board for giving me the opportunity to work alongside you all and reaching beyond the stars in our work. I am very proud of how much The News has grown, and I look forward to seeing what comes next year.