Some people look back at high school as the best times of their lives, their glory days. I, however, don’t think I will be one of those people—high school was hard in many ways. But I know that when I do look back to my high school experiences, my memories of Bark will be some of the fondest. It’s hard for me to put into words what this community has done for me, both on an academic and personal level, but here I am.
Beyond the close friendships I have made and the unforgettable memories of long pasteups and heated class discussions, most influential to me has been that I have been lucky enough have found an answer to the omnipresent question of “what do you want to be when you grow up?” It often times can be hard to find meaning in some of the schoolwork that we do in high school, but I have never felt that way about my work for the Bark, it has never been just another chore. There has always been a deeper sense of purpose for me in regards to journalism, knowing that I am striving toward a larger goal of making the paper beautiful and cohesive while telling the important stories that need to be told.
There is a certain rush that comes with writing an important story that many journalists talk about and I too feel that I know I will never get tired of, no matter how many stories I write.
Even if many of our readers just look at the pictures, knowing that what I write might make a real impact is the most rewarding thing I have done.
We often talk at Redwood about finding our passion (there’s a whole week dedicated to it!) and I think I have been able to truly find mine in the Bark room.
Furthermore, Bark strives to embrace the individual passions of our reporters and of the community that we cover.
I think this is an important takeaway for the student body to consider.
If a fellow student is passionate about something, then you should make an effort to give that passion the respect it deserves instead of talking down upon it.
It’s been through my time at Redwood that I hear people putting down things other people love because they may not understand or appreciate it—and I know, from personal experience, that it hurts. It’s simple—refer back to the age-old golden rule treat people the same way you would want to be treated.
It has been an honor as Editor in Chief to help further journalistic values of representing the truth, and doing so conscientiously, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable this may be—something I think the Bark has done so well this year on many occasions.
No matter the challenges along the way, I will forever be grateful for the opportunities Bark has given me to grow as a writer, leader and as a person.
