As the semester draws to a close, Evergreen news editors Alex McCollum, Abby Davis and Emma Ledbetter wish to share parting words as they move on to their next adventures.

Alex McCollum

I’m wrapping up the final class for the broadcast news sequence (my major) and I’ve completed all the other pertinent classes for my degree. But, to quote Cher in her iconic song from Burlesque, “You haven’t seen the last of me.”

Originally, I was supposed to graduate this semester. But back in the fall, I was feeling really stressed out with five classes plus my job reporting here at the Evergreen. I decided to drop a political science class I was taking for my minor because I could already see myself starting to fall behind.

This meant I had to either make up the credits this semester or stay at WSU longer.

Sure, there are plenty of other students who can handle the same workload, but I was having a harder time. I don’t enjoy feeling overwhelmed. I think the transition from COVID-19 protocols made everything a bit harder, as well, because I used to be able to balance school and extracurriculars exceptionally well (not to brag or anything *nail polish emoji*).

This semester I only took four classes again, re-enrolled in the class I dropped and decided to stay for the fall 2022 semester. 

I’ve had constant doubts over whether this was a good decision, both financially and career-wise. Everyone else in my broadcast class is graduating and finding jobs, meanwhile, I still have eight more months before I can really start my career.

There’s been a voice in the back of my head saying, “There won’t be any jobs when you graduate, you made a huge mistake, you won’t be able to find work.”

In my heart, I know this isn’t true, but this is just how my self-doubts manifest themselves. There are a lot of jobs in journalism right now, so I should be fine. It’s just hard watching everyone else start them while I can’t.

There are bright sides and lessons to this situation, though. Through my decision, I forced myself to learn that it’s okay to slow down and take time with my education instead of rushing through it.

I did the Running Start program in high school and transferred to WSU in 2020, meaning I would have graduated and left here within two years at the age of 20. I already missed out on one year of a regular college experience due to the pandemic, and now I get one more semester to make it up.

I also get another season of Cougar football, another Family Weekend, fall semester events, more August weather on the Palouse and I get to take another reporting class with one of my favorite professors. And I also get to finish out my political science minor without feeling too overwhelmed.

So, you haven’t seen the last of me. I’m not quite sure what exactly I’ll be doing at the Evergreen in the fall, but I plan to come back. I have one more enjoyable, lower-key semester at WSU before I start my real adult life.

It’s okay to not have the exact same path as everyone else with your education. Make the choices that suit you best.

Abby Davis

Looking back on my college career, I can definitely say deciding to work at The Daily Evergreen was one of my best decisions. It’s hard to put into words just how much the Evergreen has given me; this is really where I grew as a writer and developed my leadership skills.

The endless newsroom fun is also something I love. I still remember walking into the newsroom and seeing our cardboard cutout of grammar-loving Spock for the first time. 

Above all, the people at the Evergreen are what make it special. I met two of my best friends working here (Emma and Alex), and I’m forever grateful for not only the relationships I’ve built, but all the opportunities I’ve been given.      

I’m extraordinarily proud of our news reporters and all of their hard work. It’s truly been a blessing to work alongside them.

College has been nothing short of one wild adventure, especially with my less than traditional experience. I’m graduating one year early and lived at home for almost the entirety of COVID-19. However, the (almost) two years I did get in Pullman are ones I will never forget. 

I don’t really know what’s next for me. But I have the best support system and am excited to find out.  

Go Cougs!

Emma Ledbetter

If you had asked me four years ago what I would be doing at the Evergreen the spring of my senior year, the last thing I would have expected was to be serving as news editor. In fact, I’ve served in a lot of different capacities here, most of which I never imagined I would be capable of.

I used to write letters from the editor (“leditors,” as I call them) quite frequently when I was Mint editor, and I even got pretty good at following the formula for a successful leditor. But now, staring graduation in the face, typing the leditor I have been thinking about for four years, I’m at a loss for words. Part of that comes from editing roughly 10 senior features today (I can’t remember the exact number). But a larger part of that comes from the sheer difficulty of articulating something that means so much to me.

Looking back, I never should have even been hired at the Evergreen. I’m not a journalism major, I thought AP style meant the way you write for an Advanced Placement exam, and I was under the impression that newspapers hired proofreaders (hint: they’re called copy editors). Despite my naivety, I was hired — and I am so grateful to the editors who took a chance on me.

Over the last eight semesters and two summers working here, I’ve grown as a journalist, as a scientist and as a person. I would not be who I am today without The Daily Evergreen, including all the amazing journalists who came before me and all those I’ve mentored along the way.

I look back with pride — and a hefty bit of nostalgia — at all that we’ve accomplished and all that has changed over the last four years. We lived through a pandemic, for goodness’ sake! We were literally writing history as it was happening.

If you’ve read this far, thank you for tolerating my sappy reflection. Thank you for letting me bring you the news each day.

But most importantly, thank you for trusting and empowering student journalists like me and my colleagues — because your readership is why we do this.