In three short years at Texas A&M, I have learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. This may be due to the hectic college environment, or perhaps living away from my childhood home, but I do know for sure that my most valuable lesson was not learned in a classroom.
My greatest lesson was learned in a windowless basement filled with some exhausted student journalists. Memorial Student Center Room L400, home to The Battalion student newspaper, is my home and haven on campus.
I stepped foot in the basement only a few weeks after arriving on campus in 2019, and I have learned more about the real world than any university-required elective could’ve shown me. For the past three years, I have interviewed students, administrators, professors, community leaders and government officials, while improving my writing beyond anything I could have imagined. I’ve learned how to ask the questions that are engaging to students and readers, investigate issues that affect this 70,000-person university and developed well-needed professional skills. However, none of these compare to one thing.
Well, I’ve kept you waiting long enough. Here it is, my greatest lesson — prepare yourself.
You don’t always get to see your hard work pay off.
I know this realization may seem very dull compared to my other shining achievements, but I find it the most valuable, nonetheless.
For anyone who does not know, this semester, The Battalion has faced a few challenges so graciously provided by the A&M administration. I’m happy to report that we have continued printing, and will continue to do so through the summer. However, my coworkers’ involvement in President M. Katherine Banks’ working groups have shown me two things: No. 1, student voices have little to no effect on the outcome of administrative decisions — unless Aggie Twitter gets involved — and No. 2, this challenge is going to last for some time, most likely for many other organizations as well.
For all the work these student journalists have put into making sure the student population is represented and receiving the best A&M news The Battalion has to offer, we are still facing an uncertain future at the mercy of this university.
Nothing hurts more than to leave this paper at the height of crisis. If I could, I would stay until The Battalion has once again proven to everyone, especially university administration, that we are an independent, self-producing, self-sustaining and self-governed student institution.
Though I won’t have a hand in the inevitable achievement I know my successors will bring, I will be proud just the same. To the entire Batt staff, Mr. Pils and all our supporters, thank you for raising your voices and your keyboards in our time of need. I’m sure other student organizations will need all of you in the future. To the A&M administration, you’ve got one hell of a battle ahead of you.
I wish everyone luck in their respective futures at A&M and beyond.
Gig ‘em and goodbye.
Julia Potts is a political science senior and managing editor for The Battalion.