Editor’s Note: “-30-” has traditionally been used throughout journalism to indicate the end of a story. Each semester, The University Star encourages its graduating seniors to write a Senior 30 — a farewell piece to readers — indicating the conclusion of a journalist’s time as an active member of our organization.
Where do I start? My journey to The Star is different and I never would have thought I would be where I am today. In the fall of 2019, I came to look at what The University Star had to offer before I made my decision on transferring. I later transferred to Texas State the next semester in the spring of 2020. I applied to be on the PR team and Design team and I got both of the jobs. I was over the moon to start working for The Star.
Going back to when I first started at The Star, I loved being a page designer. I was so excited to be making my first paper with The Star. My first event with the PR team was a river clean-up at which I got to meet so many people in the organization. Who would have thought that this would have been the last PR event of the year?
Being on the street team in the fall of 2021 was so much fun and eye-opening. It showed me a different light of connecting with our readers. I handed out the paper to hundreds of students on campus to read the weekly issue every Tuesday morning.
This year my position as the design editor has impacted me on a designer level and on a personal level. It has shown me that I can do more things than I could imagined. This position has been something that I never imagined myself in but I have loved every second that I have gotten to be this year’s design editor.
Thank you to Molly Gonzales for being my first design editor and showing me new things I can do in page design and for answering all the questions that I put you through to help me grow. Brianna Benitez for being one of the first people I met at The Star and being willing to talk about design. I am truly going to miss our design talks. I want to thank Krantz for pushing me to try new things and for always being there, from the beginning of my time at Texas State to now, helping me with what life throws at me.
To this year’s editorial board, thank you for being on this journey with me. From working on the paper in the newsroom until 2 a.m. to going to TIPA. From crying because we are so tired or playing pranks on each other. So many memories were made this year and I am glad that each and every one of you was a part of it.
To this year’s design team, thank you for letting me be your editor. I am glad each and every one of you is a part of the design team. I can’t wait to see what great things you do at The Star and with your future.
The two and half years I have spent here have taught me many important lessons. They have shaped me into who I am today. I will miss the sleepless nights, the laughs, cries and many memories we made through my time with The University Star. Thank you to The Star for letting me grow from a page designer to a design editor. From designing the paper in-person to designing on Zoom to being back in person. I will cherish my time with The Star for a lifetime. It has taught me the powerful means of student media.
Thank you to everyone who helped me call The Star my home away from home. This is truly one thing I will miss at TXST. If you are reading this and are thinking about applying to The Star, just do it. The impact The Star has on me has changed my life and can change yours too.