Semester end brings sadness, new beginnings

It is the bittersweet time of year when graduating seniors are saying their final farewells to their classmates and the University.

Some have already finished that final assignment or taken their last exam. Others are studying away in hopes of making the grade that will allow them to walk across the stage.

For at least four years, you have worked hard for a degree, so take a brief moment to pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

Whether you plan on pursuing more education or immediately going into the workforce, we offer you the best of luck, especially in an iffy job market.

For The Daily Cougar, this is the last time the newspaper prints until June. By then more than half of the editorial board will be replaced with new names and faces.

For us, this time is as celebratory as it is difficult. While we congratulate the members of our staff for graduating and moving on to better things, it is hard to come to grips with saying goodbye to those we have grown close to.

Section editors often select their successors, so every staff is a mixed bag of interests and personalities with an undetermined chemistry. The experience of working five days a week with the same group of people can either force a person to become inspired — or to burn out.

In an environment where all of your chosen words can (and will) be criticized, it is easy to become discouraged. But the countless hours and long nights forge lasting friendships.

In order to print every day, there is a great deal of coordination among many parts. The challenge of finishing an eight to 16-page newspaper can be an intimidating task for a group of young adults, but we managed to meet every deadline and have never missed a day.

Perfection is not always attained when working for a student newspaper, but no matter how embarrassing mistakes were from the previous edition, we had to try again the next day — which is what college is all about. Congratulations to the class of 2011. Enjoy your summer and stay safe.