The conclusion of the 2020 Spring semester brings a lot of ending chapters to my life. This marks the end of my time with The Lamp, as well as my time with Lincoln Land.  Speaking honestly, the past two years have been some of the best years of my life. They have taught me so much about myself, and what I can accomplish as a writer. I can not say “thank you” enough to these years.

I joined The Lamp in the fall semester of 2018. I wanted to be more involved on campus, and I have always had an interest in writing. Starting off, I remember being afraid to really lean into the resources that my advisor and editors at the time were to me. I hesitantly volunteered to write articles and when I did, I hardly looked forward to the feedback I would receive from my superiors.  

But as time went on, I realized that every piece of writing has a first draft. Something that is written and revised before it can be published. It is okay for my writing to not be the best thing ever as soon as I write it. That’s such a relief because I know that it isn’t. 

I started to realize this when I was working on my first article that would be published. It was a profile on a LLCC professor who was just starting at the time. I remember freaking out about this assignment. I had never written anything like this before and I had only a vague idea of what to do.  

I obsessed over what questions I would ask her, and how I should write the article. I even freaked out about what I would wear to the interview (something that I still do today). After spending several hours stressing about this, I finally turned in what I had to my editors. 

Meredith Howard, the editor before me, was everything an editor-in-chief needs to be. She is patient, understanding, level-headed, and very much dedicated to her work. Anyone could see the passion she has for her job from a mile away. So, knowing that she thought my article was good put my anxieties at ease and let me know that I was on the right track after all. She took the time to explain the changes she made to the article and why she made them. 

As it turns out, listening to critique isn’t so bad after all. There is no way I would be where I am today without it. I am so proud of the accomplishments I have been able to see this already accomplished newspaper achieve. Just in the span of two years, I have seen this staff win awards from the Illinois Community College Journalism Association that recognize our dedication to seeking truth reporting it.

I feel proud that I am a recipient of the scholarship from the same association, and I could not have received it at a better time as I am getting ready to transfer to a four-year institution this fall.

I look forward to continuing my journey through college and gaining new experiences. As far as I’m concerned, I will never stop writing, and it excites me to know that my skills can only grow from here!