By Jay’Mi Vazquez
Managing Editor
As I get ready to turn the page on this chapter of my life, I keep returning to the places that provided me meaningful memories I will forever carry: Southern News and Crescent magazine.
It feels strange trying to sum up something that has meant so much to me in just a few paragraphs because, to me, it was never just a club or a class. Both student organizations became a space where I found my voice and a version of myself I did not know existed when I first walked in.
I still remember that first day stepping into the newsroom. It was hot, and I did not know exactly what to expect.
What I did know was that I wanted to find a place where my creativity was not only accepted but valued, and the stories I cared about could matter to others.
Somewhere along the way, without me even realizing it most days, the newsroom became that place. It became my home away from home, and I will forever be thankful to call it that.
To my mentors, Professors Cindy Simoneau, Frank Harris, Jodie Gil and Thea Moritz, I truly do not have enough words. Thank you for your patience when I was still figuring things out, for your honest feedback even when it was hard to hear and for always pushing me to be better than I thought I could be.
You saw potential in me before I saw it in myself, and that belief changed everything. Because of you, I am not only leaving a stronger writer, but a more confident person stepping into the next chapter of my life.
To the current team of editors, thank you for being the heart of this experience. The Monday morning edits, the lastminute deadlines and always laughing during stressful weeks — those are the moments I will miss the most. You made me feel like I never had to do this alone, and that made all the difference.
I also cannot leave without acknowledging those who walked this path before alongside me. Jaylen Carr, Alison Fernand, Carly Russell, Lexi White, Brandon Cortés and so many others — you were more than just teammates.
Your belief in me helped shape my journey in ways I will never forget. You all hold a permanent place in my heart.
Saying goodbye is not easy. It feels like leaving behind a version of myself that grew within these walls — my computer with the messy desktop, the bulletin board with our inside jokes and the constant reminder to fix the printer.
My final request to you is that you do not call me to fix it next year. But I leave with a sense of pride in the work I have done and gratitude for everything this experience has given me.
More than anything, I leave with hope and excitement for the students who will come next. I know they will continue to build something meaningful here.
In the words of Kurt Vonnegut, “So it goes.”
