I never thought being Editor-in-Chief for The Rider Chronicle meant complaining about the lack of writing involved in the position. Freshman me is definitely rolling over in the grave hearing herself complain about not writing.

A lot of my job is talking to people. From heart-pumping stories about athletes reliving their winning shots to heart-wrenching ones about weddings. There’s nothing quite like the joy of getting a good quote and envisioning the story.

However, the best part of being editor is working with the staff. I only enjoyed it as much because I lucked out on the lineup. To Sheridan, thank you for doing your best despite the hardships. To Sandra, thank you for brightening the mood of not just me but everyone. To Meghan, thank you for getting out of your shell. I know it’s hard; I was in the same place too. To Manasvi, thank you for filling in the places where I lack. I’m not the most reliable, but having you as back up was always reassuring. 

Of course, the year wouldn’t be as successful without Coach Duncan. Thank you for seeing me through my final year. I’m so glad that I was able to learn so much. My future pursuits in journalism will succeed so your advice won’t be wasted. My one regret is that I’ll never be able to pull a senior prank on you. I had such a good idea too.

I wouldn’t be able to take my next step with confidence without Ms. Prince. Thank you for helping me realize what I wanted to do in the future. I’m truly lucky to be able to find something I get so much satisfaction from.  

However, for me to stand here today all that credit goes to Coach McClung for pulling me out of my comfort zone. While the other advisers helped me hone my skills, you helped me grow as a person. Thank you for sticking with me despite the hiccups in the road. 

From the horrible realization that I write my best articles from panicked one-day deadlines to the fun mental scars of being the staff’s personal punching bag (I’m kidding… kinda), this year has been filled with indescribable joy despite the early cutoff. 

One last thank you goes to the readers. Seeing the growing number and hearing the buzz around the school was the staff’s and my motivation to keep going. I hope that the number keeps increasing as I move on.