A Toast to VALLEY

Dear VALLEY Magazine, 

Wow, my very last VALLEY article. I have looked at this laptop so many times, with an “Untitled document” open and staring at the abyss that is a white, blank Google Doc. I have typed millions of words on here for VALLEY, I’ve backspaced, left comments and written out gibberish when I didn’t know what to say. I’ve written entire articles in one hour, and also in the span of a week, putting down less than a hundred words each day. I’ve had interviews and pulled quotes and added “__ says” frequently, meeting new and unique people each time. But here I am, writing my last article for this publication, and now I wish I hadn’t wished all of my writer’s block away. 

It has been such a wonderful journey over these past three years writing for VALLEY. While there were nights when I would bang my head against a wall to come up with decent pitches, I have loved each topic that I have covered. From my very first article, when I went and interviewed students who worked at the Penn State gym, to my cover story –– when I got to interview the vibrant Veronica Zelner and write about femininity, with all of its facets. Even though I cringe at my writing in some of my older articles, they were all a piece of what built me into a better writer. 

They challenged me, each semester giving me a project to look forward to. I still have a ways to go to being a great writer for a professional magazine or some kind of publication, but I know that VALLEY taught me how to write vibrantly and confidently, which I am so grateful for. 

I remember feeling lost when I first started on VALLEY, unsure exactly what my niche in journalism was going to be. I had sworn off writing sports and political journalism, but wasn’t exactly sure what else was out there. I felt nervous walking into my first meeting, hoping my pitches would be good enough. 

But that day, I met Alyssa in the hallways before the meeting started, and sat with her. I remember hearing her pitches the first few weeks and feeling like my own were lousy in comparison. Alyssa’s brilliance and creativity pushed me to find my own, unique outlook on story ideas. She became one of my closest friends, and my very first journalism friend. 

Our VALLEY journey has always been intertwined –– stitched together like a book. We used to dream about becoming editors, never quite knowing that we would both have our own editor in chief terms. I am always grateful that we were web writers together, and get to end our VALLEY journey together as washed-up web writers. 

There are so many people who left their VALLEY mark on me permanently. Leigh and Sylvie, my greatest teachers who I look up to so much. Natalie, who has taken over the editor in chief position so flawlessly. Every writer on staff who’s creative ideas impress me every meeting. Vanessa, Dani and Greta who are masters at solving every WordPress problem. 

The people really make the place, and this place is so special because of every member. VALLEY fosters the creative mind: the fashionable freshman looking for a home, the curious writer in need of a canvas, the 4.0 student looking for something more. VALLEY welcomes them all, and more. 

To this club, it’s people and everyone that built VALLEY, thank you. I will try to look to my future with a smile as I move past college and this club, knowing what VALLEY gave me will last forever. 

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