Maya Koeppen – Senior Column

Thank You to The Warrior

When I first walked into the newspaper room the second semester of my sophomore year, I was overwhelmed to say the least. I was surrounded by a sea of upperclassmen and immediately thrown into an unfamiliar world of editorial calendars, article assignment forms, and deadlines. Being one of three new members on the staff, I worried it would be hard to find my place. As someone who has struggled with self-confidence issues in the past, trying to make friends and fit in proved a daunting task. But, it ended up being a lot easier than I had imagined.

I latched myself onto a group of outgoing seniors who helped me settle into the organized chaos that is newspaper. Fast forward to May and I was already given a leadership position as Managing Photographer. When I signed up for the position, I never imagined getting it since I had only been on the staff for a few months. Although I was nervous, I was excited to take on the challenge and push myself. And, I’m glad I did.

So much of the person I am today is due to my time on The Warrior staff. Three years later and I am more confident in myself than my sophomore self could have ever imagined. Not to mention the fact that my writing and photography skills have improved since joining the staff. I have learned that it’s okay to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, and it can even be rewarding. In the past year alone, Newspaper has become so much more than a class for me. It has become a solace from my stressful course load. As I prepare to major in journalism, I could not be more grateful for my time on The Warrior staff and the person it has made me into. Journalism is what I love to do and at this point I cannot imagine doing anything else. So, thank you to The Warrior for the memories, the laughs, and the friends.