I’ve rewritten this letter multiple times because nothing seems quite right. I don’t know how to sum up my college experience in 12 column inches. I don’t even know how to sum up my last two-and-a-half years with The Parthenon. Nothing seems to give my time here justice, and I don’t even know how I feel about everything. I’m not good at expressing my feelings though, so I guess I’ll just stick with the facts. 

The fact is I chose Marshall University to get away from my family, but they’ve still managed to be my greatest supporters from more than 400 miles away at any given time. 

I also chose Marshall because it has the best journalism program in the state, and I’ve seen that firsthand through my amazing professors and different media outlets the School of Journalism offers. The Parthenon was more than I could have ever wanted. 

The fact is the newsroom has become another home to me, and the people I’ve worked with have become family. From being a reporter in spring 2018 with Hanna Pennington, Amanda Larch and Michaela Crittenden, to a news editor, campus editor and then copy editor, I’ve learned so much about the field I want to be in for the rest of my life with some great company. 

The fact is that I am currently sitting in the newsroom alone late on a Friday night with a coffee on my left and music blasting since no one else is in the building. This is standard for me, because I have always managed to get into Smith Hall, even if the doors are locked. I’ve even slept in the newsroom. It’s the place where I am most productive.

And the fact is Marshall has been the source of some of my favorite memories and favorite people. It’s cheesy, but Marshall for me was the slogan we used to have: Best. Decision. Ever. I’ve had great nights going out and staying in. I saw Broadway performers and spoke to published authors, one who works for the New York Times.

But if I’m talking about facts, I should include the fact that I’m close to tears writing this farewell because I know I’m going to miss all of this when I leave. I will miss Tuesday print nights, meeting with Chief Jim Terry every week and sitting in Sandy York’s or Dan Hollis’s office complaining about whatever is going on in my life. I’ll miss the good and the stressful. I’ll miss sitting by the fountain when I’m overthinking. 

And the fact is senior year is not ending the way I expected, but it doesn’t change the past. I learned so much about a field I love. I lived in Spain for a month. I interned with the amazing Claire Snyder in the Women’s and Gender Center, who means more to me than I think she knows. I worked with an amazing newspaper with amazing people. 

So, at the end of it all, I wouldn’t change a thing and my heart is full. And even if these things can only be verified by me, I promise they are all facts. 

Sarah Ingram can be contacted at [email protected].