In the past, it’s been a Horizon tradition to write a farewell column and remember certain events that happened during our time as editors.

I’m breaking ranks and refusing to write such a column.

No, I think it’s time to write a hello column.

Hello, my name is Grace Stamper, and I’m preparing to greet the world and take it on full force.

How does that sound? Doesn’t matter — I like it.

So, here goes nothing.

Hello distant places.

There isn’t much, aside from the economy, that will hold me back from planning my world domination now.

I’m planning on visiting Greece this fall and am looking forward to it. This may open my eyes to places I can move to in the future. As the saying goes, “the world is my oyster.”

Once I’m done with IU Southeast, I’m free to move far away and live in exotic places like Cincinnati, Lexington or Indianapolis.

Hello anxiety.

I don’t have to schedule classes for the next six months of my life or worry about buying books and parking passes.

It’s liberating and causes mild anxiety attacks, too.

Where’s the schedule I’ve developed? What’s going to happen after it’s all over? What am I going to do with my life?

Yeah, I’m thinking about all of these things. Since it’s all up in the air and nothing is for certain at the moment, I’m learning the feeling of anxiety. It’s not too pleasant, but I’ll deal with it.

Hello freedom.

Freedom goes hand-in-hand with anxiety I believe.

While there is nothing for certain or permanent right now, I have the freedom to choose and do what I want.

Since I will have my degree this year, I can apply for any job that I so choose, I don’t have to look for that little degree required section on job applications.

I could be anything from a struggling journalist or budding photographer to a travel guide in Great Britain.

So many options await me that I’m eager to leave this university and find out what I want to do with the rest of my life.

While I know this freedom is going to end very quickly, it is somewhat exciting that I have these options to look forward to.

Hello grad school?

I will always be a student. I have always known that school was my perfect atmosphere and I love learning.

Summer vacations in high school were torture. There was always too much time on my hands to get bored.

I know summer is the essential sun tanning and ultimate swimming months, but I got bored two weeks into summer break.

Because of my rapid boredom, I would start homework as soon as boredom struck.

Since I was a homeschooled student there was always something educational to do.

I can’t stand to be away from school for very long, but I don’t know if grad school is the perfect fit for me.

Maybe I will just take random courses from different universities.

Weird and random courses like Native American Dance as the
Foundations of Modern Legal Theories, The Meaning of Basket Weaving: Myth & Reality or The Science of Superheros.

I don’t know, but I’ll definitely be somewhere, learning something. I’m not
going to be gone for long.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll get a master’s degree, become a professor and never leave the university world? I know — scary.

Hello reality.

Although I’ve been in the “real world” for more than two years now and well-versed in the nature of bills and debts, there is something to be said for no longer being a college student.

I can no longer lounge around in bed until classes.

There is no such thing as skipping work and just getting a bad grade.

I can’t just call someone to find out what work I needed to get done before the next work day.

It isn’t possible to turn in presentations or high-priortiy
reports a day or two late and just get a few points taken off of my overall grade.

Life doesn’t work that way. No, now it’s time to be a grown-up and start getting up early, working eight hours and contributing to society.

Yeah, I’ll still make time for the fun things in life, but responsibility is creeping up on me really quickly.

Hello world.

It’s been a good time at IU Southeast. I’ve made friends, good networking buddies and learned a ton of cool things, but it’s coming to an end and I’m ready to go.

The few people that I will admit to possibly missing  post-grad include my fellow Horizon buddies, my advisers, Jim St. Clair, professor of journalism, and Ron Allman, associate professor of journalism.

They have helped shape my career into what it is growing to be and I wholeheartedly support them for what they’re doing to help  the growth in the journalism program.

Now, I won’t say I won’t miss this campus, but I won’t be sorry to leave it.

It’s high time for new experiences, new sights and better weather than The Ohio Valley can produce.

Shortly after the commencement ceremony is done, I’ll be looking forward to my future and be ready to meet it head on.

Nothing is going to be too far out of reach for this future college graduate.

—30—

By GRACE STAMPER

Editor

gstamper@umail.iu.edu