It’s funny, when asked if I wanted to write a reflection on what the newspaper has done for me and how it has impacted my high school career, I was so excited that I didn’t even hesitate to say yes.

As I sit down to write this, however, I know exactly what I want to say, but I don’t know what words to use that will give my fantastic experience the justice it deserves.

Journalism introduced me to a passion that I probably would never have discovered if I hadn’t been guilted into signing up for the class in the eighth grade.

Up until then, I hadn’t thought of myself as a writer, much less a good one, so I was hesitant to go into a class that focuses heavily on writing.

But, my English teacher at the time read one of my essays and encouraged me to take the class—even going as far as putting flyers on my locker every week.  So I caved, and I decided to sign up for the class, expecting it to be an average writing class with little space for creativity.

I don’t think I have ever been so wrong.

Being a contributor to the newspaper quickly became a highlight of my first year and the years following.

I would come home and annoy my parents and my brother with every detail of what I was doing to help produce the issues.

At the time, I thought it was just a hobby—a class that was unexpectedly fun and was a fresh new change to classic English classes.

I didn’t realize how invested I was in the newspaper until I signed up for another journalism class like it was second nature.

Shortly into my second class as a staff member, I was given the page design assignment that awakened my love for design. Issue after issue, I started to ask for more and more page design assignments because I couldn’t get enough.

Designing pages in newspaper grew into a love for designing anything and everything I could. I took design roles in group projects, and whenever I made PowerPoints for other classes, I would deck them out with animations and art.

Designing pages for the newspaper was my escape from the hectic normalcy or everyday high school life.

Every day, I would crave coming into third block because I knew that I was going to be designing for an hour and a half.

Journalism not only introduced me to a thing I adore, but also people I adore. Journalism has a way of joining people with different interests together that is beautiful.

I’ve met some of my best friends, and my relationships with people I already knew grew. Even though the staff would change a bit from year to year, the atmosphere of love still stayed the same.

We all grew together and helped each other perfect our abilities. A lot of my favorite memories have come from the newspaper, from having pizza after making a deadline, to constant conversations about Marvel movies.

I’ve been involved in so many activities throughout my four years here at Boone, and as I close out my final year, all of the emotions of leaving my other families is overwhelming.

Journalism was the very first activity I joined, and I am so glad that I can say it will be a part of my high school career up to the very last second.

When I was thinking about what I wanted to study in college at the beginning of this year, I made the realization that I wanted graphic design to stay in my life, and I decided that I wanted to pursue it in college.

A lot of students overthink joining clubs and being involved in high school, and if it wasn’t for my teacher constantly urging me to join Journalism, I wouldn’t have had the priceless experiences I did.

Being involved from the very beginning in the newspaper was the best thing I almost didn’t do.