My, how time flies when you are having fun. Such an understatement, as I prepare to say goodbye to my tenure as editor in chief of this award-winning newspaper, my awesome staff, and The Panther supporters in the student body. I have grown as a person and as a leader while working for The Panther. I have made some friends, lost some friends, but most of all gained a family. The Panther office has become a second home and the staff a second family. There have been days when I wanted to just walk out of the office never to return again, but hugs and jokes from my second family kept me holding on and coming back for more. Words cannot express my gratitude to the staff, our die-hard advisor, Mr. Smith, and Ms. Nigh. Thank you so much.
I will miss the days when I’m sleeping on the bean bag in my office and Richard wakes me up to tell me a joke that only he finds funny, or when I am about to lose my mind and Richard lets me vent until I’m calm even though he probably couldn’t care less about what I’m talking about. I will miss the times Gabby and I are in the office laughing about “dip searching” and comparing hair tips, or when we walk into the office and fuss at each other for dressing alike. I will miss the times when Ashley and I are jumping out of our beds to cover a ground-breaking story, or when we are laughing, crying, and fussing about what to do next with the paper and our lives. I will miss the times Evan got an attitude with me for fussing at him about a picture, or when I told him to “hold on while I comb my hair” before he took my picture. I will miss the times wondering where David is and how his page is going to get completed, or all of the hilarious times David gave the entire office in the wee hours of the night when everyone was fighting their sleep. I will miss the times arguing with Jerrell in the editorial board meeting, or when he says something that only he understands and leaves the rest of the staff at a loss for words. I will miss the times calling Otis for any and every thing, or begging him to fix the server so we can finish the paper. There has never been a staff like this one and there never will be again.
To anyone I may have upset along the way, I apologize; don’t charge it to my heart, it’s just business. To all of the writers, no matter how much I fussed, I truly appreciate your work regardless of how late you turned in your story. To the new staff, I wish you all the best of luck and success. We are leaving our baby in your hands, so you better take care of it. To Ms. Nigh, thanks for all the candy and food you gave us throughout the year. Thanks for all your late hours. And to Mr. Smith, I don’t know how we would have made it without you; thanks for all your hard work, long hours, and great advice. This is the end of one excellent chapter in my life. Goodbye and farewell.
Jameka V. Merriweather
Editor in chief, 2007-2008