After a slow summer spent in Pullman, I am enchanted by the liveliness of our little college town this week.

Walking across campus, I recognize the top third of old friends’ faces and am overwhelmed by how sweet this time is for all of us.

The last time I was walking these same routes between Sloan and Todd, I was a sophomore. Now I graduate in May.

Even as I write this, the reality of our last two years in school has not hit me. I am so grateful for where the pandemic and WSU have brought me in that time.

This semester, the opinion section has some of the most driven and creative columnists I have ever worked with. They are new writers, coming from all different majors and ages.

I cannot wait to see what they come up with this semester, and I am so excited to be leading them.

The simple fact we can now take photos on campus with students milling about and even table during the New Coug Barbecue — this is all new and exciting and so much fun for everyone at the Evergreen.

We are meeting new students who are seeking out connections and ways to be involved with our Coug community. It warms my heart!

Whatever this semester brings, whether it be a continued mask mandate or football games where we can all see each other’s faces — the Evergreen will be reporting it all.

We will be here to ask hard questions, find the real stories, connect students’, professors’ and administrators’ voices. As always, we will keep it real.

This community of reporters, photographers, columnists and leaders are all focused on bringing us together through our work at the Evergreen. And I am so honored to be one of them.

I wish us all a safe and prosperous semester back on campus. Go Cougs!