"Oh my gosh, I have to write this thing. What am I going to say?"
These were my thoughts as I sat down at my desk (mine not for much longer) to put together my very last Weekly Grind blog of my newspaper career. It was a daunting, stressful and somewhat sad assignment.
"It's your last one," my staff kept reminding me. "You have to make it count!"
Aside from not wanting to face one of the many "lasts" during my tenure as Editor-in-Chief, I was having trouble summarizing my four years with The Ramapo News. After all, what could I say that would appropriately commemorate my college newspaper experience? The task seemed impossible.
In fact, the more I thought about it, "impossible" is a good reflection of my time with The Ramapo News. Not in the traditional sense, as in something that is utterly not possible or that is incapable of happening, but rather, being involved with the newspaper has shown me just what isn't impossible-true to Ramapo's slogan, we pushed our own boundaries, and we broke some of them.
I have grown leaps and bounds and have accomplished so much in my newspaper career, but if I hadn't lived through it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. Redesign the print publication in between semesters? "Give me a break. That's impossible." Spearhead live coverage events, including the Governor visiting our own campus? "No way. Impossible." Launch a website from scratch? "Impossible." Lead an editorial board for two years? "Impossible."
Of course, I did all of this, and more. We did this, as a team. We tackled challenges head on, and we persevered.
I am walking away from The Ramapo News and my staff with many things. Yes, I am a better, more well-rounded student journalist because of my experience here. Yes, I became a capable leader and effective boss by being at the helm of our organization. Yes, I am a tougher person and a stronger student from having to juggle my coursework and a demanding extracurricular activity. But more importantly, I learned the true meaning of the word "impossible."
And that's just it… impossible is only a word. If you are passionate enough, if you believe in yourself and the people around you, if you are determined and work hard and have faith, then you can achieve anything.
That's what The Ramapo News taught me.
That's all the news for now (or, for the last time)-Nicole
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nalliegr@ramapo.edu
