As a kid, I never dreamed of becoming a journalist. The earliest jobs I can remember wanting were, in order, astronaut, advertising executive and painter (not an artist — think barns and houses).

But at some point I found myself in The North Wind office as a sophomore looking for a minor. I’m leaving that office this week as a senior with what has become an obsession.

In my tenure at our student paper, I have learned more about this university, people in general and myself than I ever thought possible.

I have learned how to deal with the dread of approaching deadlines and difficulties with sources/writers/readers. I have met some of the most interesting people on campus and developed professional relationships with many of my sources. My own writing has improved out of necessity and by proximity to the very talented people (not Scott) around me. But perhaps most importantly, my time as news editor has helped me grow as a person in my maturity and ethics.

I was forced to make difficult decisions about what stories to cover and how to cover them. Part of my job was to ask myself what the students needed to know about the things that affected them. I then had to find a clear way to communicate that necessary information to them. I had to keep the student body and our readership in mind when I made these decisions, because ultimately it was to them that I was responsible.

Sure, this job has been stressful, has cost me more than a few friends and put strains on my relationships with others, but it has also been the most rewarding job I have ever held. Every Thursday morning, I would read the paper after a twelve to sixteen hour workday on Wednesday nights, and I would be proud of what our staff had created and the hard work that my writers put into their stories.

Seeing students walking around campus with The North Wind was always a source of great pride for me because it was visible proof that at least someone was appreciating our hard work.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has made a difference in my time as news editor and as an undergraduate at NMU. First of all I’d like to thank my writers and the two assistant news editors that I’ve had this semester, Alex Belz and Ben Hocking, for their dedication to keeping the students informed of what is happening on campus.

I’d like to thank Jim McCommons and Cate Terwilliger for being wise advisors at The North Wind and helping me become a better journalist. I’d like to thank my coworkers, specifically Lucy Hough, who has been my boss for over two years and has always helped reign in my over-zealousness.

I’d like to thank Katie Hanson for being the best academic advisor a student could ask for.

Finally, I’d like to thank my girlfriend, Thao, for putting up with the late nights, the stressful days and my inability to let anything go.