Attending Hofstra University

Since my first day of freshman year, I knew that I was destined to join the school newspaper. Seeing my brother enjoy his time at The Courant inspired me to want to flourish in the journalism world myself.

Getting the opportunity to interview a conglomerate of people with all different backgrounds and opinions was my catalyst for walking into room 118 for the first meeting of The Courant. As soon as I stepped through those doors, I could feel the sense of community that this newspaper would bring to my life. 

As the weeks of training to be a journalist ensued, I felt more and more at home with The Courant. My confidence as a journalist grew with every session. I’ll never forget the first time I stepped foot into the Suite. It was surreal to me to see a couch in school, let alone one I got to actually relax on for a whole 40 minutes. After spending at least one period of every single school day there, I can now say that it feels like a second home to me.

I can still recall the sense of eagerness and anxiety I had before my very first interview, which was with Ms. Lipenholtz. Seeing myself transform from a freshman who was nervous about interviewing the principal, to a senior dedicated to talking to anyone in order to get a good story, is a testament to how much the newspaper impacted my life for the better.

Looking back at my previous articles, my growth as a writer and journalist is apparent. I’ve learned to be comfortable with being uncomfortable when it comes to new experiences. The Courant has given me the opportunity to meet people I would have never spoken to and be more involved in school activities. I now know that I’d rather be temporarily embarrassed by doing something than permanently regretful of doing nothing.

Through my journey with The Courant, I learned the importance of journalism as a means to document the things around you. When I was tasked with organizing The Courant’s archived newspapers, spanning all the way back to the 1960s, I realized just how valuable journalism is. Having the opportunity to preserve the world around me is a privilege I will never take for granted. 

I, of course, would not have accomplished what I have in these past 4 years without the help of Mrs. Semple. Thank you so much for your overflow of support with every story I wrote and every idea I had. I love getting to the Suite and updating you on the latest turn of events in my life. Thank you for also encouraging me to join the Crossroads Yearbook. Getting into photography and design was an unexpected passion of mine. I’m so glad that seeing you became a regular part of my day. 

I would also like to thank Ms. Sandoval for her daily jokes to get me through Spanish class. Gracias, chica. To Dr. Jeziorski, thank you for keeping history actually interesting and for always being willing to share your funny quips. 

As I finish writing my final article, I think I finally have an experience to define “bittersweet” for me. I’ll never forget the late nights I stayed up writing articles or the countless school events I attended to take pictures at. It’s weird to say goodbye to something that has taken up so much of my life. I will never forget the people I met and the community that was created throughout my journey here. I can only hope that, in the future, I find something I love as much as I loved writing for The Courant. Thank you for everything!