If it weren’t for the Evergreen, I wouldn’t be graduating with two degrees right now.

Shortly after I drove for several days with the car loaded down and melted while moving everything into my dorm room, I attended what I thought was an informational meeting about the school yearbook.

Instead, four years ago, I became a photojournalist for the Daily Evergreen. Dropping by the Murrow basement to upload photos and write captions turned into long nights as an editor spent in the newsroom.

I had done the math, and I needed more credits to graduate, so I was considering several minors, including criminal justice – correcting forensic TV shows could go to some use.

But there, in the basement of Murrow, I found a new home. I upgraded from the lime green office chairs to the plush brown leather one by the first semester of sophomore year when I became managing editor.

And from there, a new major was born. In addition to business management, multimedia journalism got added to the list. Combine that with the Honors College, and my class schedule was a mess. I did the math again and found that now I was going to be far over the 120 required credits. When I told my advisor I was seeking dual degrees, she warned me I would have to pay an additional $50 for that extra piece of paper.

Way to nickel and dime, WSU. But after all the student loans? Yeah, sure, an extra bachelor’s degree is worth 50 bucks.

While business is what I grew up around, and it makes sense, I don’t think Washington, Pullman or WSU would feel like home as much as it does without the Evergreen. I only hope that others can find what I did in both learning about the other side of the news and Pullman.

Thank you for the lime green chairs and pushing me out of my comfort zone. Thank you for the friends and countless memories. Two bachelor’s degrees in four years – here’s to you, Evergreen.