When I was first thinking about what I should write about for my last piece, I thought about going into some big introduction about how my time here has changed me. But then I thought what better way to culminate the past four years of working at The Observer than by looking back at some of the highlights? 

This digital triptych was my first piece published in The Observer. I wasn’t actually on staff at the time, but I managed to convince the sports director to let me onto the field and take pics from the end zones/sideline. I ended up joining The Observer by texting the web editor, who appointed me to the position of social media editor in addition to being a staff photographer. I would post the week’s front page on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and tag as many student organizations as I could to get that sweet, sweet engagement. 

It wasn’t until 2019 that I began writing for the Arts & Entertainment section. I exclusively wrote about music in the spring and into the fall before exploring other avenues. I think my favorite article title was from Aug. 30, 2019, when musical artist Desiigner performed at CWRU. If you want to, you can go back and read “Desiigner? I hardly know her!” on The Observer website.

In spring 2020, we began to get in touch with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ media team. We were able to send writers and photographers to Cavs games and sit in with the media coverage. I was allowed on the court sideline before tipoff where they had ushered us up to a set of rows with chairs and desks for writers to set up laptops and photographers to drop bags. It was a really cool experience sitting in on genuine sports journalists just going about their job, and it was a shame to lose that after COVID-19 hit.

This one isn’t actually by me, but I still want to include it on the list because it was only possible because of The Observer. I, along with our former Executive Editor Nathan Lesch, applied for media credentials to attend the 2020 Presidential Debate. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our organization was only given one pass for the actual debate. I was devastated, but then received a second email asking if I would be interested in being the stand-in for Joe Biden. I of course accepted the offer and went through a rigorous series of COVID-19 testing to get through the door. It was awesome to see behind the scenes of how an official presidential debate is run—from the giant fans blasting cold air with independent generators so the lights wouldn’t burn us alive, to the Secret Service agents walking around to get the layout of the building. We went through some mock debates while sound technicians and camera operators set up different angles. It would’ve been nice to stay for the debate but at least I didn’t get COVID-19 (@Trump). 

This last All-Ohio championship was my last track race. A bittersweet moment especially with the fact I had a hurt foot from the steeplechase the week before. This photo did not appear in the article, because I went against journalistic integrity and put myself in the school newspaper. There goes my legacy huh.