In less than 24 hours, I will graduate from The University of Alabama. Wow. That's crazy to think about, let alone type.
The University of Alabama has been my dream school since I was 3 years old. My older sister graduated from school there, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I wanted to make my experience one that I knew I would never forget. As everyone says, 'Enjoy it while you can because it'll be over before you know it.' Obviously, I knew that was true, but I didn't want to believe it.
My time at the University included some ups and downs. It took me a while to find where I would fit in. It took me a while to find the group of people who would eventually become my closest friends, my family. During the fall of my sophomore year, I joined The Crimson White, the student newspaper on campus. I worked for the school newspaper my senior year of high school, so I figured, as a journalism major, the CW would be the best fit for me and my future career goals. What I didn't know was that me joining the organization would completely change my life.
My time at the Cw allowed me to practice journalism while using the teachings from my professors and instructors. In the matter of three years, I managed to work my way up from a volunteer copy editor to digital editor and a member of the Editorial Board for two consecutive years. To read more about that, you can read my senior column for the CW here.
My experience in media didn't stop there. i also had the privilege of serving as features editor for Alice Magazine. That opportunity would give me the chance to write one of the longest stories i've ever written and have it featured on the front cover. That story would make me fall in love with long form writing.
When I decided to major in journalism, I was just excited that I figured out a career to pursue based on my interests. When I came to the University, it completely changed my view of it. I took Journalism classes that focused on topics such as food writing, sports writing, ethics, community journalism, media law, etc. I was taught different facets of it, and I was shown how so many people have succeeded by doing what they love to do. I wanted to be a part of that.
The University of Alabama has been everything I expected and more. It successfully helped me become the person I've always wanted to be. Four years ago, I was extremely shy. I was afraid to use my voice. and I was afraid to speak out. I carried that persona my entire life, and I knew I wanted to change that when I got to college. Journalism forced my shyness to go away. I remember in one of my classes during my first semester of freshman year. My professor walked into the class, and stated, 'If you're a shy person, and you want to major in JournalsIm, you may want to get over that now or switch your major.' I'm happy I didn't switch my major.
Roll Tide, forever.