JANIE HARRIS
Contributing Writer/Senior

I cannot believe it is already the end of my last semester at Piedmont College.

It has been an interesting four years—filled with up’s and down’s, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

Piedmont was my back up school. I wanted to attend LSU, but out-of-state tuition was not in my budget.

So, I decided to attend the college that my mother attended for her master, specialist and doctorate. I figured I could go to Piedmont for a year or two, and then, I could transfer to LSU or some other large college.

But, then something crazy happened. I enjoyed my time here. Yes, there are challenges to being at Piedmont, but overall, I knew the education I was receiving and the opportunities I was taking advantage of here would not be the same at larger schools. But, my education was not my only reason for staying.

I have met some of the, now, most important people in my life at Piedmont. I found the greatest roommates, confidants and friends in the students of Piedmont.

I couldn’t ask for better people in my life, and while, even in this semester, and now in the future, we may not get to see each other often, I know you all are forever friend. You are people that will be a part of my life and in my heart forever.

Speaking of heart, I met a man I intend to marry at Piedmont (You know, once we start making real money and can actually afford it). In fact, I met him on my first day in my PC 101 class. And after looking at the differences in our lives and the many paths we could have taken after high school, if I would have never come to this cozy little school tucked away in the north Georgia mountains, I would have never met him. I wouldn’t be moving to the beach with him, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without him.

Piedmont has become a huge part of my life, and I am so proud to be graduating from her, as should all of you. Yes, we are college students. We all feel the need to complain about the school we go to, but Piedmont really is a wonderful school where wonderful people go. It’s a place where even the maintenance staff knows you by name and cares about how your time at Piedmont is going.

I also feel like this is the time that I need to thank the most important people involved in my life while I have been at Piedmont, the professors I have had.

I came into Piedmont thinking I would one day be a lawyer, but then I realized that was not the path for me. I stumbled into Professor Ramsey Nix’s Writing for Newspapers and Magazines course, and I found a path that fit. I found something that I enjoyed, could excel in and genuinely wanted to do. I was inspired by so many professors at Piedmont to be passionate about what I plan to do.

Without every single professor I learned from over my four years, I wouldn’t be walking across that stage in ten days. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without professor’s overwhelming care and attention to my education, and I can’t thank the professors of Piedmont College enough.

And to all those who I am leaving behind as you continue your education, just remember how lucky you are to go to a school like Piedmont.

Remember how lucky you are to have the friends you have met at Piedmont, to have the faculty and staff that you do at Piedmont and to be going to college in general.

Goodbye, Piedmont. I’ll miss you.