Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a leader as: “A person or thing that leads; directing, commanding, or guiding head, as of a group or activity.”

There are a number of people in the ISU community who fit this definition. They have been leaders on this campus for the past year – acting as the director, commander or guiding head of numerous groups on the ISU campus.

You leaders include drum majors from the Cyclone Marching Band, presidents from the ACLU and physics club and captains of the football and basketball teams. You include people without any title at all, the movers and shakers working on the inside, helping plan events and organizing people to make the ISU campus a worthwhile place.

For the next two weeks your offices will be empty.

First, with Dead Week, the five days off prior to finals week for all student groups, as mandated by the Government of the Student Body. Without any meetings or activities, student leaders have plenty of time to make up for all the weeks not spent studying (or partying).

Then finals week, when everything comes down to the wire. Somehow the procrastinatng that worked all semester just won’t fill the little blue book waiting at the end of the anthropology test.

From there, who knows?

Some of you will graduate, some will finish another semester of school.

All will probably think about the year you’ve just completed. About the late nights and tardy homework assignments. About the arguments and accomplishments. About the friends you’ve made and the people you’ve angered.

You will think about what all this time and effort and stress will mean once you leave Iowa State.

At this point, it may be very easy to start doubting the actions you took as a leader. After a year of listening to people, and sometimes the Daily, question and second-guess your actions all year, it’s hard not to look at it all in retrospect and wonder if anything you did was worthwhile.

This isn’t a smart avenue of thought to go down. Self-doubt doesn’t help you grow; it doesn’t contribute anything positive.

Don’t worry about everything you could’ve done differently this year. It’s all finished; take it off your shoulders.

You contributed to this campus and its community in a way no one else could.

You devoted the hours, made the decisions and worked with the variety of personalities that walked through the door every day. Only you will ever really know the things you have accomplished this year.

So be proud of yourself.

And take a break.

Study for your classes. Go out with your friends. Go campaniling – the time is running short.

Move on with your life and remember the things you’ve learned as a leader.

Things like the motivational powers of free pizza or writing a good mass e-mail. Things like how to communicate with different people, which I think everyone continues to learn throughout their lives.

Remember that leadership doesn’t always follow the Webster’s New World Dictionary definition: “The position or guidance of a leader, the ability to lead.”

Remember that it also means being gracious in your accomplishments and humble in your failings. That it means recognizing your faults and mistakes and not being afraid to admit them. That it means doing the best you possibly can, every day.

Thank you, ISU leaders, for your time, your commitment and your work in the ISU community. Thank you for the Homecoming week and the Veishea Parade. Thank you for the greek philanthropy work and Dance Marathon. Thank you for better campus lighting and trying to get more condoms in the residence halls.

You have made a difference at Iowa State. Way to go.

Andrea Hauser is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Edgewood. She is editor in chief of the Daily.