As many readers already know, this is our final issue of the Northern Iowan for the year.
As for me, it is the last issue on which I will ever work.
In 2011, I was a sophomore looking for some extra money and thought writing about sports sounded cool.
It was more than just cool.
I was given an opportunity that year to not only share my thoughts and ideas on a platform to be heard around UNI, but to broaden my horizons about UNI athletics.
In my first year at the NI, I covered womens basketball while writing opinion columns.
Womens basketball wasnt a sport I was familiar with, let alone UNIs team, but it may have been the best thing I ever did with my college work.
I learned that, despite being new to the sport, I could quickly learn to like it and be a fan of it.
Every game was a new story and the team was good that season.
That year taught me a lot of what it was to be a sports fan.
As a part of my job as the sports editor, I read every article in the sports section. For those who read the paper on a regular basis, we try to put as wide of a range of sports as we can into the section. While we may not be able to cover every sport UNI offers, I feel we do a good job broadening the readers horizons on what really goes on in Panther athletics.
Just by opening up the NI twice a week, you are able to learn how the universitys athletics are going - from football to basketball to soccer.
I strongly urge you read them all.
As sports fans, we tend to close our doors on lesser-known sports and focus on the big names. We shouldnt do that. Every sport here has something different, and something great, to offer.
It took me five years to graduate, but I wouldnt trade those five years for anything. I came to UNI with little to no knowledge of any Panther team, but Im leaving as one of the schools biggest fans.
So as I leave, I urge you to keep reading what the sports section has to offer. I also challenge you to broaden your horizons. Attend as many games and read about as many sports as you can.
Get to know the athletes and coaches that compete every year for the pride of this program. Youll be better off for it.