By Mac Pomeroy
People often say how time flies when you are having fun, but I don’t think this is the full truth.
Really, I think that time flies when you are busy. It seems like just yesterday I was new to this paper, typing my first article. Now, it’s the end of the semester. Classes are finishing, and this is our last paper of 2019.
Of course, I have other articles coming after the new year. But I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past 16 weeks and talk about how this column has been a new and great experience.
For those of you that don’t know, my name is Mac Pomeroy. I am a second-year English major with a minor in creative writing. I intend to get my doctorate and become a creative writing professor one day. Before coming to Youngstown State University, I never considered working for a newspaper.
But after meeting some people and becoming more involved on campus, I applied to write for the Jambar. As you can see, I got in, and I’m glad I did. It has been one of the most challenging yet encouraging things in my writing career.
We all come to college to pursue a goal. Perhaps you want to become a doctor, a teacher or a dancer. These goals are great, but they should never be a reason to limit ourselves. Just because we enjoy doing something and it’s what we want to do for a career, that doesn’t mean we should do only that.
I may love writing, but before college, all I ever wrote was stories and scripts. Other than essays I was forced to write for school, I never tried anything else. I never considered what else I could do.
And that’s what happens. Suddenly life presents opportunities that you never considered. No matter how odd these options are, unless they are illegal or invasive, they should be considered.
When we pick our majors, we aren’t signing our lives away. Whatever is on our degree will not be the only thing we are capable of doing. Even if it won’t be something you’ll do in the long run, it’s not any less valuable.
Doing things simply because you like to is also really important. Gaining new skills is valuable. For me, this column has helped me gain so many new skills as a writer. I have learned to be more confident with the words that I say, and I have become more comfortable with letting people see my writing.
Yes, I didn’t plan to be a columnist. But I am grateful to have this opportunity.
Sometimes, we need to get out of our comfort zones in order to improve upon what we already know.
Thank you all very much for a great semester. I look forward to returning in January with more articles and new stories to tell. Have a safe and happy holiday and stay warm. Till next time.
