When I look back and see what I have done this year, I can’t believe how much has happened.

With the help of Missouri Southern, I was able to visit five different countries this year. Even though in two of those countries all I saw was the airport, I think that still counts.

The first country I saw this year was Cuba. Being able to visit Cuba with three of my good friends from The Chart was an unbelievable experience I shall never forget and always treasure.

Then I visited Austria and Hungary with my Global Journalism class. That was another wonderful experience I shared with some of the best friends anyone could ask for. I had layovers in Mexico and the Netherlands – the two other countries I still count.

But actually, what I really wanted to do with this farewell column is say good-bye to The Chart, because I’m leaving it this semester to work a full-time position off campus. I have been on The Chart since my first semester at Southern, and it will feel very strange not to be a part of the team next year.

I’m not going to lie and say it was all bliss being on the newspaper. There were many days when I wanted to give up. Everyone on The Chart knows what I mean. Too many stories to write, late nights, photos not coming in, stories not coming in, working on deadline, sources reaming you for this or that, people disagreeing with your opinion columns, working on time-consuming supplements, computers freezing up, uncooperative faculty and sources not returning calls are all a part of the game. But we learn to take the bad with the good, hoping the students do enjoy their paper and appreciate it.

We really felt like some of our hard work paid off last semester because we were lucky enough to win Best in State in the Missouri College Media Association competition. That was really important to us.

Even more important to me are close friendships I was able to create through The Chart. I’ve enjoyed spending time with my friends in Cuba, Austria, during the newspaper conventions and every day at college. I’ve learned so much that I just hope I can keep that knowledge with me for the rest of my life.

To everyone who is not on The Chart, and therefore probably bored by this column, thanks for reading the paper and making my job on The Chart possible.

To all my supportive instructors, thanks so much for your help.

To everyone on The Chart, and previously on The Chart, thanks for helping to make this year one of the greatest of my life.