Student Activities, Like The Collegian, Can Help Students Grow at HutchCC

Throughout the past academic year, I’ve used this opinion page as a pseudo diary. As a place to share my experiences in hopes that someone will relate and find comfort in the fact that someone else has been through hard things that they themselves can relate to. 

Selfishly I used this publication as a way to vent some of my frustrations, but also as a way to talk about some “forbidden” topics in a safe environment. My goal was to hopefully help others may find solace in shared experiences, but I myself ended up finding comfort though my time as a staff member of The Hutchinson Collegian. 

This past year has taught me more than I ever thought I would learn as an editor of a publication. I learned  how to express myself through words, which is something I’ve always struggled with. It taught me confidence in my abilities, in and out of the newsroom. I’ve become comfortable with new systems, how to collaborate with others, and I gained so many more skills that I will carry with me throughout my career. 

My intentions were not to join the newspaper when I started college, but now a week away from graduation, I feel incredibly blessed that I was connected to The Hutchinson Collegian and that I was able to do what I am passionate about and improve my skills during my time here. 

My advisor, Brad Hallier, said that my final column could not just simply be a farewell, so I will leave you with this.

If you have the opportunity, join a campus activity. Find your passion or even just a side interest and expand on it. It’s not just about the interests you have but the community that you find when you are around likeminded people. College is about exploring passions and expanding on your skills and if you are not at least trying to do just that you are doing yourself a disservice.  

Never would I have thought that 3 random people that I met through the journalism program last spring would become my roommates or that furthermore, I would be dating one of them. No one’s paths are the same, but if you never try, you never know what your life could look like a year from now. 

To find a full list of campus activities go to the student life tab at www.hutchcc.edu or ask your advisor to help connect you with campus organizations. 

Torie Price is a McPherson sophomore studying journalism and the Collegian’s Opinion Page Editor. She can be followed on Instagram.

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