A classroom ran by students, our amazing advisor Ms. Daughters, Harold, the J-wall, super cool, smart kids (still better than yearbook), parties every issue of the paper, stories both purposeful and interesting, pictures either beautiful or too dark, power claps, the strange yet sentimental senior gifts–including the monkey hanging from the ceiling, the chaotic yet functional atmosphere of the J-lab, the struggles of InDesign, and the love-hate stress of Editors-Late-Night.

These are just a few of the things that make being a part of the Patriot Press at Liberty High School so fulfilling and wonderful. I am so glad to be a part of a class that is so uniquely different, independent, and successful, so I would like to dedicate my thanksgiving column to the Patriot Press.

Aside from parties and fun stuff we get to do, journalism in general is just awesome. It’s always been a goal of mine to express my opinions, create work for others to see, and be a spark for discussion among my peers and journalism effectively allows students to do those things. I get to speak my mind, yet learn the right things to say. I learn how to become an efficient and intelligent writer.

Furthermore, I learn how to manage my time, and get a sense of what the “real world” is like. In case you didn’t know, journalism is not a class; it’s a job, and that could not be further from the truth. Constantly working to meet deadlines undermines the array of duties that an editor has to achieve on a daily basis, and it can get really difficult at times.

When there paper is finally published and distributed, there is no better feeling of accomplishment. I walk around the halls and see others reading our paper, OUR work, and my heart flutters a little bit. Everyone in the J-lab works relentlessly every day to produce valuable and up-to-date information that our culture thrives off of and cares about. It feels really good to be apart of something so rewarding and special and I could not be more thankful for the opportunities journalism has provided me.