I never procrastinate. I like to think that it is one of my best qualities; I have never submitted an assignment late, I haven’t even ever pulled an all nighter just to get a paper in on time. I get assignments done days before their due dates because I absolutely hate the stress and anxiety that procrastination fosters. I never understood why people procrastinate… until now.
I’m currently writing this article on Sunday, April 20 at 1:58 p.m. To preface, I prefer all articles for the paper to be completed by Sunday before 1:00 p.m., meaning this is the first time I’ve missed a deadline. I suppose the streak couldn’t last forever.
To be honest, I have been dreading writing this article. It is my last time publishing in “The Outlook,” my final moment being considered a student journalist, and my last chance to leave my mark on this campus – talk about pressure.
So, I guess the best way to kick this off is by explaining a little more about myself. Hi, my name is Bailey. I’m a senior here at Monmouth studying communication. I’m the President of Monmouth’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and the Managing and Lifestyles Editor at “The Outlook.”
Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, let’s dive a little deeper. When I first arrived at Monmouth as a freshman, I was overwhelmed to say the least. My class workload mixed with an inconsistent, ever-changing schedule immediately showed me that college is light-years away from what I experienced in high school. Freshman year flew by in a blurry mess of mixed emotions, lost friendships, and a heaping pile of (fun) mistakes.
By sophomore year, when the euphoria of being away from hometown rules faded away, I found myself incredibly bored and out of place. I was taking an Introduction to Journalism class and was working on an article about the Department of Music and Theater Arts’ adaptation of the musical “Fun Home.” I figured a good article was going to waste just being submitted for a class assignment; so, on a complete whim, I reached out to the Editor-in-Chief at the time, Isabella Hanna, and asked if she would be interested in publishing my first ever article. She said yes and asked me to come into the newsroom for a meeting. From then on, I found a new home.
I always loved writing growing up. I was the kid in school who got excited for English class and cheered when we had the opportunity to creatively write. Coming into college, I lost that spark when I was enrolled in gen-ed classes that honed in on themes of math and science. Further, “The Outlook” provided me a space to reignite my passion for writing. I’ve enjoyed every second of being a part of such an amazing club and team that provides an outlet for creative thinkers to work together, showcase their talents, and improve their journalism skills in unimaginable ways.
I’ve been going back and forth between what I want my farewell message to leave behind, and honestly, all I can think of is to say thank you. Thank you to Isabella for giving me a chance, thank you to past editorial staffs for seeing my potential, and thank you to our advisor, Dr. V, for an incredible amount of help and guidance. Lastly, of course, an enormous, monstrous, giant, immense, thank you to this year’s editorial staff, and especially our Editor-in-Chief, Taylor, for not only making an astounding team, but for also simply being amazing humans. I have made countless memories in the newsroom that will last a lifetime.
Now, for my advice to any students who cared to read this far: get involved. Don’t spend your few college years doom scrolling in your dorm when you could be out meeting new people, exploring the world, and discovering lessons about life. I know it may be scary and overwhelming, but our time on earth is not meant to be spent living comfortably. Put yourself out there, conquer your fears, do it even when you’re tired and unmotivated, have a breathtaking time, and thank me later.
