As a first-generation student, going to college was one of the scariest things I have done.
In my senior year of high school, I thought I was going to have to stay home and work to help support my family and take care of my younger siblings — college didn’t seem like a viable option. However, I had an English teacher who made me promise her that I would go to college, and I am glad I kept that promise.
During my college experience, I have changed so much and for the better.
I have become more outgoing, I have learned so much about myself and my interests, and I have decided that I want to go into journalism as a career.
One of the best things I did my freshman year was join The Echo staff; I owe so much to this paper and the friends I have made through it.
Before writing my first article, I was so scared to talk to people or take on more challenging stories.
However, through The Echo, I have gained so many opportunities from being editor-in-chief and getting an internship at the Log Cabin to getting the opportunity to photograph for the Conway Symphony Orchestra.
Most importantly, The Echo gave me a space to learn and grow as a journalist.
I have since taken on more difficult stories, such as reporting on student deaths, and harassment cases. This type of journalism is hard, but it is needed.
Being on The Echo has taught me the importance of well-done journalism and the importance of informing the public.
The newspaper served as an unparalleled learning environment. It was a crash course in deadlines, teamwork and the often-messy reality of bringing a project to fruition. I learned to interview reluctant sources, to synthesize complex information into concise prose and to defend my editorial choices with conviction — even when I wasn’t entirely sure I was right.
Perhaps the most significant impact of The Echo was the voice it gave me. As a shy and often uncertain freshman, finding my voice in a large university setting felt daunting. But within the pages of the student newspaper, I discovered a platform to express my opinions, to explore issues that mattered to me, and to connect with the wider campus community.
It’s funny how something as seemingly simple as folded sheets of newsprint can leave an indelible mark on your life, but that is what The Echo is to me. I have poured my heart and soul into this paper.
I have a funny little saying, “Everything I do is for The Echo.” But the truth is that The Echo has done so much for me.
The Echo is not just a line on my resume; it is where I learned invaluable lessons about responsibility, collaboration and the power of the written word. It wasn’t always glamorous — there were plenty of frustrating interviews, last-minute rewrites and the occasional existential crisis over a misplaced comma. But it was real, it was challenging and it was undeniably formative.
So, to the current staff of The Echo, keep writing. You might not realize it now, amid the deadline stress and the lukewarm coffee, but the impact of your work extends far beyond the campus.
The Echo wasn’t just a part of my college experience; in many ways, it was my college experience, and for that, I will always be grateful.