When I wrote my first post for Onward State, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought it would be a fun little distraction, working with some friends from orientation week to stick up a certain finger to the status quo, but I could never have guessed what a profound impact Onward State would have on me.

I couldn’t have known, for example, that a short interview would pull me in to the wonderful world of improv, an art form I’d never previously heard of but later went on to teach to a campful of impressionable young Jews. I’d come to college expecting to go into linguistics, or clinical psychology, but at Onward State, I realized my passion for writing and editing, and decided to branch out and look for work in the publishing industry. But most importantly, I couldn’t have anticipated how the amazing people I would meet would influence my time at Penn State—once upon a time, working for Onward State even snagged me a boyfriend.

My college career has come to an end far more quickly than I could have imagined, and though I’ve gone through several majors and extracurricular activities, this blog has bracketed my four years of madness. Onward State has always been there to remind me that a rag tag group of champions — even if it’s just a few nerdy freshmen in their dorm room — is capable of turning a school upside-down. This university is so large that every student who wants to get involved has literally hundreds of student groups and activities to choose from. In joining Onward State, I know that I made the right choice.

Goodbyes are for sissies, so I’ll close with a thank you instead. I am grateful for the amazing variety of people I’ve been lucky enough to grow close to in this ridiculous place, and I won’t be sad that it’s time to leave; after all, that’s what people do. When I look back on those wee little kiddies meeting in the basement of Atherton, I see how much we’ve all changed. We all grew up a little bit here, together, and I will always be proud to have witnessed, and played some small part in, the beginning of something great.