After four years, this is my final week and production day at The Daily Evergreen. 

I started in the fall of 2020 by fate. I was taking a psychology class from my hometown and for extra credit, I went to some sort of activity fair. I knew I wanted to be involved with something that allowed me to write, and someone directed me to the Evergreen. 

And here we are. 

I was a reporter that first semester and went on to be a copy editor the next semester. Because of my wonderful experience that first year, I switched my major to journalism. 

Over the next few years, I went on to be the life editor, copy chief, managing editor and now the editor-in-chief. 

During my time here, I have been able to learn so much. The different positions I have held here have allowed me to experience the Evergreen in so many different ways, and have helped me in every single professional internship I’ve held. 

I was given the opportunity to intern in Tri-Cities for a summer and in Olympia during the spring last year, and both of those experiences helped me become a better journalist. During these internships, I was also able to grow as a person because I was in new environments, and I appreciate that so much. 

Being able to use my skills from the Evergreen in a professional setting and grow in different environments has also given me the opportunity to come back to the newsroom and help my peers and colleagues grow as well. 

That is probably my favorite part about the Evergreen; we are all here together, and no matter how stressful things can get, we support each other and help each other grow as people and journalists. 

After graduating this weekend, I will be moving to Spokane for an internship at a newspaper, and I only have the Evergreen and the people who came with it to thank for the passion I have for my future career. As I step down from my position, I look forward to passing on the torch to Kedzie Moe, the Evergreen’s newest editor-in-chief.