It’s nearly impossible to believe that I’m sitting here writing my last words for Eagle Nation Online.
I can still vividly remember walking into room 1148 as a timid freshman who didn’t know the first thing about journalism. But I did know that I wanted to write. As I finish my last few days of high school, I hope to be remembered by the impact I’ve made on my teammates, on our readers, and the legacy of my words.
I’m not sure how to put my love for this paper into one article, but I’ll start by thanking everyone who was there with me on this journey.
First, my wonderful, incredibly talented teammates. You guys push me to be the best version of myself everyday. Whether it’s spending lunch editing articles, coming early or staying late to make sure we publish ENT, or spending summers and weekends to get the paper ready for our readers. Some of my best memories in high school have come from walking around with a camera at sports games instead of being in the stands. They’ve come from working up the courage to interview people in the community, who are no longer strangers by the end of the conversation. They’ve come from trips to Austin for journalism competitions and entire days spent at UIL tournaments. None of it would have been possible without all of you cheering me on. To the underclassmen, I can’t wait to see where you will take ENO/ENT from here. I know that all of the talent I’ve seen will definitely pay off.
To my fellow editorial board, it has been an honor working with you guys for the past four years and I am so thankful we are able to graduate together. I’ve been able to see how much we’ve grown through your accomplishments. Our inside jokes, Starbucks runs, and countless hours spent making the paper so incredible will be something I will forever cherish. I can’t wait to see what you all will accomplish in college and beyond.
To my family – Ma, Dad, and Anvi. Thank you so much for supporting me in my love for journalism. From driving me to early morning UIL meetings to constantly giving me inspiration for new stories, I don’t think I would’ve ever started writing if it weren’t for you.
And, my biggest thank you and most difficult goodbye – Mrs. Roskens. There are honestly no words to describe all that you’ve done for me and the rest of the newspaper. Your endless words of encouragement, even during hard deadlines and difficult times, is what inspires us all to keep sharing stories. Thank you for investing so much into not just my passion for writing, but also my love for science. You’ve become more than just a teacher to me these past four years – you’ve become family.
As I finish up, I’d like to say my final thank you to you – our readers. Us journalists would have no reason to continue writing without your stories to share. Thank you for allowing us to represent the Prosper community.
I don’t know how I’ll move on to this next stage of my life without having room 1148 always open, but I hope to continue my love for journalism as a reporter for the Daily Texan at UT Austin. Thank you again to everyone for making these past four years so incredible. If I have any words of advice for future journalists, it is to never be afraid of change.
Nothing changes if nothing changes, so always put yourself out there to pursue what you love.
Signing off for the last time,
Anisha Mandem, ENT Editor-in-Chief
