At the beginning of the semester, it’s hard to imagine making it through the long weeks ahead. Finals Week seems like a year away, and the daunting amount of work between August and December seems near impossible and never-ending.

But the next thing you know, you blink, it’s already almost Dead Week and you have no idea where the time went.

Time moves so quickly, especially during the school year, and we don’t even notice it. It’s so easy to get caught up in assignments, exams, projects and work shifts as the calendar changes from month to month.

The end of the semester and the end of the year are a great time to slow down and reflect on everything that has happened and what you have accomplished. 

As my first semester as editor-in-chief comes to an end, there’s a lot to reflect on and I have learned so much in this position.

I’ve learned about leadership. With a job that is in an ever-changing field as journalism, I’ve learned to be an adaptable leader who is calm under pressure. With breaking news a possibility every day, it’s important to be flexible and show that to my staff.

I’ve learned about the true impact local journalism has on the community. I am lucky enough to be the face of the Iowa State Daily to the world outside our newsroom, and I get to speak and interact with people who read our content daily and see how our stories impact them.

I’ve gotten to see the amazing people who make up Iowa State. There is so much good happening on this campus each and every day.

I’ve learned to be more thankful. The staff who I work with every single day pour their hearts and souls into this job. They go to class all day and then come straight to the newsroom to work all night. I am forever thankful for their love, patience and friendship.

Please get involved with us. Keep sending letters to the editor or join the editorial board. Your voice is important, and we are here to help create public discussion.

We’ve done a lot this semester. We have covered extensively the road to the 2020 election and started a politics twitter to keep you up-to-date on what you need to know before you caucus. We also were lucky enough to be honored with high honors at the ACP/CMA awards in Washington D.C. 

If you’ve picked up a paper, sent a letter to the editor, read the Daily Dose, clicked an article on one of our tweets or liked us on Facebook — thank you. Our ultimate mission is to serve you and provide you with fair, holistic journalism.

We still have lots more to do in the new year. Good luck with finals and the rest of the semester — we’ll see you then.