Well, we’ve finally reached the end of the year. And for a majority of our staff, that means the end of our time at Wayne State. Six of our eight staff members will be graduating next weekend.

All of us have different backgrounds and interests. A few of us are sports nuts who cherished compiling the Sports section every week. Others are deeply rooted in politics and the news, entrenching themselves in what matters to the broadest of audiences. Some are music nerds, or drama geeks, or fascinated by culture and sociology.

Some of us are capping off traditional four-year undergraduate careers. Others have stayed a little longer, or came in as transfers. While our traditional students are entering the next chapter of life fresh-faced and 22, others are anxiously awaiting finally entering the real world halfway into their 20s.

Many of us stayed in Nebraska for college, while others chose to come to Nebraska from places like California and Chicago. While the Nebraskans had the advantage of being at home and focusing energy and attention on academics, the out-of-staters proudly learned about their new home and proudly acclimated themselves into a new area. And just as quickly as it seems we arrived in Wayne America, it’s already time to go.

And while we have our different experiences and interests, all of us share the same passion—putting out the news that matters to the Wayne State campus and community. If you haven’t noticed, there’s been a lot going on this year.

We started the year fresh with a new adviser. Not having Dr. Max McElwain upstairs on Tuesday nights was an adjustment, and he has been missed dearly all year long, but Mr. Eddie Elfers has been great in returning to the familiar role of faculty adviser. The transition was about as smooth as could be expected, and we have nothing but exuberance for what we have accomplished this year.

Our nation elected a real estate tycoon, orange-skinned, reality-show-starring douchebag into the Oval Office. The News section may not say as much, but in the Opinion section we can tell you that electing Donald is one of the biggest mistakes America has ever made. And most weeks since the election, we have  repeatedly voiced our collective thought in the very space that this editorial consumes now.

More than anything, we hope our staff has been able to inform and discuss events and happenings in a way that relates to our audience. That doesn’t mean every reader has to agree with everything we say, but the understanding of perspective and thought is what counts to us. We all think that every issue we put out is splendiferous, but it’s not what we think that matters. It’s what you think. And we hope that you’ve enjoyed our offerings this year.

Mason Schweizer for The Wayne Stater