[not quite the ending]

Carolina Week staff on the last show.

This week has been full of so many endings — but it’s not quite the end for me yet.

For the past three days, I’ve been cramming like my life depends on it, knocking out as many assignments for my other classes as I possibly can. Why? Because my capstone project, which I’m completing during Summer I, is barreling toward me like a keg down a hill. (Yes, it’s that serious.)

I’ve been working on this project for what feels like forever, and somehow, there’s still so much left to do. It’s giving overwhelming. It’s giving anxiety. It’s giving... please send snacks and prayers.

But amidst the chaos, there have also been beautiful goodbyes. 

Today was the final Carolina Week show of the semester, and I’m really going to miss the amazing folks I had the privilege to grow alongside. This team has been nothing short of inspiring. We learned from each other, leaned on each other, and made some TV sparkle along the way.

Being led by Leyla Santiago, along with our executive producers Chris, Akshay, and Hamsini, was an honor. They pushed me to go after bold stories, sharpen my writing, and step way outside my comfort zone. I’m learning to live outside the lines and not box myself in with fear.

This semester, I took chances. I fronted my own stories for live shots. I anchored. I even produced an entire show. That’s wild. That’s growth. And I couldn’t be more proud to have been part of such a brilliant class of up-and-coming journalists.

Also wrapping up today is Gary Kayye’s The Branding of Me course — and I’ve loved every minute of it.

I’ve learned how to optimize my LinkedIn, build my personal brand, and expand my social capital. This blog? It only exists because of that class. And I genuinely hope to keep it going long after the final grades are in.

At the start of the semester, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to write about. Then Gary said, “What matters to you?”

And that question stuck.

Because what matters to me is making people feel seen. I want my writing — whether it’s a blog post, a news article, or a podcast script — to land with someone. To make them think. Or laugh. Or feel less alone. That’s exactly what this blog has become: a space to share stories, lessons, and my own chaos in a way that connects.

I’ve been vulnerable but still professional. Gave y’all the tea — without spilling too much. And honestly? I think that’s a job well done.

Both of these courses have been a privilege to be part of. I’m walking away with more confidence, more skills, and a deeper sense of who I am as a journalist and a storyteller.

We’re not at the finish line yet, but we’re getting there. And I’m really proud of this chapter.