Wow. Here we are; 978 days of college and eleven more to go before I officially become a Moravian alumnus. It’s a strange feeling, knowing that after 16 years of being a student, I will wake up on May 4 and just be Logan. Not Logan the communications student, not Logan who writes for The Comenian, I’ll just be Logan. It’ll be up to me to figure out what my new identity is, what my title will be. This isn’t a fear that just applies to me, countless other college graduates share these feelings of confusion and uncertainty.
Personally, I never thought I would get accepted into college. I always thought my grades weren’t good enough and that I would just end up going to my local community college and figure things out from there. Thankfully, I didn’t give up on myself and the possibility of pursuing higher education. While there is no shame in attending a community college, it was a personal goal of mine to get accepted into a four-year institution.
I remember when I first stepped onto Moravian’s campus, when it was still Moravian College. My dad, mom, grandmother, and I walked around North campus, admired Comenius Hall, and talked about how the HUB looked like it was stuck in the 1980s, but I loved it just the same. But my favorite thing was the benches. I know it may sound weird, but I thought the idea of all of these clubs coming together to paint was adorable. I’m very artsy, so to see little pieces of student-made art scattered around campus made me feel like this was the kind of community that I wanted to be a part of.
Funny enough, after we got home, an email was sent out by Moravian Bound to all the accepted students saying that tours will resume shortly, but for the time being, the campus is closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Oops.
Anyways, to get all sappy, throughout my four years here, there has been one stable aspect of my life, one thing that opened my eyes to a new possibility, something that would introduce me to my future career, The Comenian. There isn’t a word strong enough to describe how much this paper means to me. Not only was I thrown into the magical world of student journalism, but I was also given opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have been blessed with if it weren’t for The Comenian. My freshman year, I got to interview Deepak Chopra. How many 18-year-olds can say they did that? The only thing I would change about my time at the paper is the number of articles I contributed. I have written over 50 articles for this paper, and while I know that is an accomplishment in itself, I wish that I could have written more, but life sometimes just gets in the way.
Professor Harris, I want to thank you specifically for all of your words of wisdom and guidance, especially last year. Over the years, there were numerous times I would sit in your office and tell you about my impostor syndrome, and you always made me feel valued. I appreciate how you never put on any sort of face; you are so honest, and you made me feel less alone during a tough and isolating semester. I hope any staff that follows me understands just how amazing you are. Not only are you an incredible writer, professor, and mentor, but you are an incredible person. Your kindness and willingness to talk about stories and life troubles were invaluable. I am forever grateful.
I have had close relationships with English teachers and professors before, which is why I love it so much. However, you are a stand-out professor and while I appreciate and cherish the English teachers and professors from all my years of schooling, none can hold a candle to you. Your dedication to creating a healthy, collaborative, and welcoming environment to fostering student journalism is remarkable.
AJ and Lola, thank you both for being so integral in my Comenian journey. Even though our friendship really started to shape during these last two years, I am so grateful to have worked with such talented writers who double as my friends. Caillie, we first met freshman year when we were next door neighbors. We didn’t talk much at first but you were always a familiar face that I knew if I saw you walking around campus, I could wave to and say hi and you would reciprocate. It has been so amazing to watch you grow as a writer and getting to know you has been incredible. I know you will go on to do great things. The same goes for all of our amazing writers and editors. Thank you all for making The Comenian a collaborative and one-of-a-kind experience.
I have learned a lot about myself during my time at Moravian. I was put into situations that changed me for the better, even if it felt like the end of the world in the moment. If I could give one piece of advice to whoever is reading this, it would be to live for yourself. If you try to live for others, you’re cheating yourself out of the opportunity of getting to know yourself.
It hasn’t fully set in that this will be the last time I am publishing work for The Comenian. This paper has been such a large part of my identity these last four years, and I’m appreciative of every second spent in the office, in meetings, and of course, writing.
The newspaper is more than a club, and frankly, I’ve never thought of it as one. It isn’t the same level in my opinion. I have been involved in clubs before and I do not mean to offend anyone by this statement, but the newspaper is quite literally the living record of the university. It is something that has been passed down from generation to generation. Even our very own Bryon Grigsby wrote for The Comenian during his time as an undergraduate.
It’s going to be really hard to say goodbye to The Comenian after it has become such a large part of my journey into young adulthood. It has given me a voice and for that I will be forever grateful. I know I will miss editing articles on the comfy couches in the newspaper office and how professional I felt to be able to use that space.
There aren’t enough words to describe how much this paper means to me and I hope that in the years to come, new staff will appreciate the magical experience that is writing for this newspaper. Savor every moment you have in Zinzendorf 100 because before you know it, it’ll be your turn to write your senior reflection. Before I sign off, I just want to say one last time, Hound ’em!
