I want to start by giving you two quotes. One is about new beginnings, the name of the first edition I ever worked on, and the second is about tying up loose ends, the name of the last edition I will ever work on.
The first is from Paul Coelho, author of “The Alchemist.” He says, “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.”
The second is something my brother Jackson Moran ’21 told me after graduating 8th grade. He said, “The means, the things and stuff that seem like a great thing to have, is not where it all ends. The ends is who you become as a person over the next four years.”
Four years ago, I started at Brophy, an unknown world full of wonder and amazement. My brother was Editor-in-Chief that year and I would read every edition front to back just so I could have something to talk about with him. Understanding maybe 80% of it, The Roundup provided me with a way to connect with my brother. This is where my journalism journey began.
If there is one thing that I can confidently say I’ve learned doing journalism, it’s that it is one of the easiest and best ways of forming connections with people. Seniors, remember how hard it was to meet new people? Going in every other day and only seeing the people you knew if their last name coalined in the same range as yours? For me, one of the few ways I was able to meet new people was through the paper. I know for a fact that I have made several friendships with people, faculty and staff here solely because I interviewed them once.
It is for this reason, the connection building, that I fell in love with journalism and all that came with it. The late night layouts, the in class discussions, both serious and goofy, the 12 am phone calls making sure everything was perfect, every interview, every article and every single Dominoes pizza box that I took home. It was worth it 100 percent and I couldn’t be more appreciative of my time here as a Staff Writer, Opinions Editor, and Editor-in-Chief of The Roundup.
As graduation approaches, I am pleased to say that I am proud of the person I have become over the last four years and I want to express how eternally grateful I am for everything Brophy has given me. It’s been a real joy to get to know everyone, be a part of a loving community and experience all Brophy has to offer. And as sad as it is to say goodbye, I have to admit that I am very excited for that new hello.
