My college experience has been anything but simple, with four different colleges, two different states, and a degree I’ve been working on since I was 15 years old. It has been filled with many twists and turns that somehow ended with me being the Executive Editor of the student newspaper for a school in West Tennessee (a sentence 18 year old me would never believe). Because it has been such a complicated journey, I would like to thank some of the people from Martin that have helped me through every change that has come my way.
The Pacer staff was my first home on campus and became a hub to express my creativity in a structured environment, a perfect combination for me. The staff supported all my crazy ideas as I started as an A&E writer all the way up to my current position of Executive Editor. Every single member of the staff that I have ever worked with has been a part of my journey. To my amazing staff that I’ve had the honor to lead: thank you for growing with me this semester, and I am excited to see what you all accomplish in the future. The Pacer will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to work with all of you. I’m going to miss our memorable layout nights. No matter how long and tedious they could be, I got to experience it with people who were passionate about the work we were doing, and that made it all worth it.
I would also like to take time to thank my brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity, Inc. You all have truly shaped me into the leader that I am today. I will always hold the memories I have made with you close to my heart. I would like to specifically thank Mesha, Gina and Kyra for being my support and some of my closest friends. We grew so much together, and it has been amazing to call you all my brothers. I’ll love you guys forever and look forward to seeing how the chapter and individual brothers grow. We’ll bless the days that we have spent in Alpha Kappa Psi.
To the Devastating ladies of the Delta Iota Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and all of my other Sorors: Thank you for your continued support and making me the Finer woman that I am today. I am so grateful for this experience and for a true lifelong sisterhood. I look forward to the hard work ahead and developing my relationships with you all even further after I graduate.
Gina, my dandelion, you have been a guiding light and an inspiration since I met you, and I am so glad to have you in my life. Anlisha, Mesha, Maleigha and Nevaeh, my wonderful and Blutiful sisters, I love you all and know we have each other for the rest of our lives. May our love for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. continue to grow and may we uphold the standard of Finer Womanhood for the rest of our lives.
This one is going to hurt. Ms. Tomi, thank you, thank you, thank you for everything you have ever done for me and everything I know you will do in the future. You have protected me, given me advice and supported me since I met you in January of 2022. You far exceed your role as an advisor and have become a true friend. I’m going to miss our conversations about life and the different journeys we have been on, but I know you are only a phone call away. I will always disagree with editing out the Oxford commas, and you will always laugh at my passion behind such a small thing (justice for the Oxford comma!). You are so inspiring, and I hope to one day be able to make the difference that you have in so many lives.
Jennifer and Braxton, you all have shown me the value of finding lifelong friends that become family. I never thought I would find that here, especially as a transfer student, but you both have stuck with me through it all. Late night car rides with both of you will always remain some of my favorite memories from my collegiate career. I know I will value our friendships for years to come, no matter how far away we end up from each other. I love you both so dearly, and I’m going to miss you so much.
If I wrote about every person that has impacted my life while going to school here, I would have to edit it down myself. So, I would like to extend gratitude and love to anyone else I was not able to mention in this short goodbye. Some of you all I have known since I set foot on campus, and some I have only had the joy of knowing this semester, but you have all made my life better in your own ways. Thank you to the faculty and staff as well as my classmates that have taken time to teach, get to know and support me. I appreciate you all.
I know I am supposed to give advice at some point in this farewell, so here are a few lessons I have learned along the way:
1. Be accepting of change. I still struggle with this every single day. I never would have thought that I would be where I am today with the people I am lucky to consider friends. Change is an undeniable fact of life and sometimes accepting that change and figuring out what is next is all you can do.
2. Treat other people with compassion and understanding. Everyone has their own struggles in life. Understanding this and treating people with as much compassion as possible goes a long way.
3. Spend as much time loving the people around you as possible. I sadly was only able to experience UT Martin for two and a half years. As you have already read, I have a lot of people here that I hold very close to my heart. I always say that I wish I had more time with them before graduation. Take that study break to get a little treat, say yes to that fun weekend you were on the fence about and tell people you love them as often as possible. I am still trying to figure out life, just like everyone else, but I know for a fact that the people I have met here and the experiences that I have shared have shaped me into the person I am today.
I want to end with a quote from Boy Meets World that has stuck with me for years. “Believe in yourselves. Dream. Try. Do good.” Thank you UT Martin for the unexpected experience of a lifetime.
