I can’t believe I’m writing this. As cliché as it may be to say this, the past year went by too quickly. It feels like very little time has passed since I entered the doors of Paint Branch as a shrimpy freshman with too much hair. Now, as a slightly less shrimpy senior who still has too much hair, I can safely say that these past four years have been some of the best in my life.

I started my time at Mainstream during my sophomore year because I wanted to have my voice heard. I loved the idea of having my thoughts published for my peers to see, even if the only people who ended up reading my articles were my mom and Mr. Woodward. Now, with dozens of articles I have written and five issues published as the News Editor, I have been able to put out work that I can legitimately be proud of. The work is not everything, though, as Mainstream has allowed me to meet new people and helped me keep an open mind. To the rest of the staff of Mainstream, anyone who reads my articles (thanks Mom!), and the PB community, thanks for all of the good times. Senior year was a lot of fun, but I’m also looking forward to what lies ahead. As much as it saddens me to say this, I have to say goodbye. So… goodbye! Thanks for everything, Paint Branch!

College: University of Maryland Baltimore City