Eagle staff writers say farewell

Karli Morris
editor-in-chief
It’s hard to believe that my time at Eastern is almost over. That this will be my final article in The Eagle. When I first got here, it couldn’t be over soon enough, I wanted to leave before I gave it a shot. It’s hard to believe that two years ago, I was sobbing like a small child as Becky Archibald asked me if I was excited to start college and entered my suite in AJ that I had all to myself for a few weeks. Calling my sisters crying everyday and begging my parents to let me come home and them telling me to wait it out a week to see if I really hated it as bad I thought. Thank you for knowing that I could do it and not letting me leave! I have the best family anyone could ask for!
Without them, what I thought was horrible punishment at the time, making me stay, I would have missed out on two of the best years, filled with amazing people, thousands of memories and experiences that I couldn’t have had anywhere else.
As much as I hate to credit him, it all started with Casey Smut Thwarts…I mean KC Smurthwaite having a NCMO with my roommate and asking me to be on staff. I’ve always avoided adding to the amount of “confidence” he has, but he really is to thank for helping me get to where I am now. We’ve gone through it all; fights, rumors and marriage agreements.
Susan Polster has definitely been my second mom to me in my time here. I’ve been able to talk to her about anything and everything. She has always wanted what’s best for me and done anything she could to help me succeed. How many students can say they’ve been to three malls with one of their professors, gone out to lunch with her son and grandkids plus watch movies and make food at her house on a regular basis?!
I have had many amazing friends that have also made these years fabulous: Alyssa, Lauren, Emily, Joy, Amanda Van Wag, Ariel, Jordan, Lizzi, Emily McRae, my “Tucker family”: Whitney, Paige, Megan, Ryan, Jeffrey, Ted, Hayden, Jordan and Jonathan and the only roommate to ever last an entire year with me, Brooke and “the boys” from last year: Rick James, Elcioooh, Austin and David. Thanks for everything and I love you all!
I also had some amazing church leaders and ward members that added to the greatness of this adventure. Thank you Sister Carlson for making me feel like I mattered when you already knew who I was my first Sunday here; President Donaldson for knowing my name even before my bishop; President and Kay Rasmussen for always laughing with me; Bishop Barker for letting me sluff Sunday School (on a rare occasion) in exchange for treats and Rita and Kevin Dunn for the chocolates, the tree decorating, sleeping bag borrowing (I promise I’ll return it before I leave) crying on your shoulder when ward boundaries were changed and for laughing with me!
Without The Eagle, I don’t know what I would have done. I’ve had the opportunity to be published in a real community newspaper, sit and talk with the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune at the UPA Awards, interact with other staff members, administrators, coaches and athletes. I think I spent more time in the newspaper lab than my own room during production week. I experienced it all there: the laughs, the tears, holidays and birthdays, guy drama, girl drama, inter-staff drama, you name it, we went through it.
To my fellow Golden Eagles, I hope you don’t miss the laugh too much (and going goose hunting…)! Thank you to those who just let it be and laughed along with me and if it ruined your day…sorry, not sorry.
P.S. Manhole, I wouldn’t be a broken record if you would get stuff done.
USU Eastern has given me the opportunity to truly find out who I am. I’ve found that I am capable of things I never thought I could do. I’ve discovered a passion for writing that I never knew was so strong. I had amazing instructors and friends on campus to help me, and the best family to support me from home. However, I didn’t learn how to become any less of a baby. Some things never change and I go out the way I came in, a little more than misty-eyed. Thank you USU Eastern and Price, America.

Whitney Fieldsted
sports writer
Wow, I can’t believe my time in Price, America is coming to an end. It is definitely a bittersweet feeling. People always say time flies when you’re having fun and they are correct. The last two years at USU Eastern have been some of the best times of my life and have gone by way too fast. I came to Eastern to play volleyball and basketball, so of course I had instafriends because of teammates. They have been my second family while I have been in Price. We have done some pretty crazy things throughout the semesters and enjoyed every minute of it.
If you would have told me two years ago when I left for college that I would ever be writing for the newspaper I probably would have laughed. Sports were my life and all I really cared about; even school wasn’t that important. However, things have changed. Sports are still important, but school and other things have gained some importance. Newspaper has been such a great experience to meet some amazing people.
I want to thank all of the newspaper staff for making my experience great, especially our wonderful advisor, Susan Polster, and our editor, one of my best friends, Karli Morris. These two have helped me enjoy every minute I spent in newspaper and made me enjoy writing again. I also want to thank all my wonderful coaches that I have had here at Eastern. They have not only made me a better athlete, but have taught me great life lessons. I couldn’t have asked for better people to spend hours with everyday.
Lastly, I can’t forget my amazing roommates and best friends, Paige and Megan Peterson, and all my other friends who have been there for me through all the hard times college has thrown my way. I don’t know where I would be without them in my life.
My time at USU Eastern has been enjoyed greatly and I will miss a lot of things, but I am extremely excited, and slightly nervous, to see what the future has in store for me. One thing is for sure though, I will never forget all the people that have highly influenced my life, the great times I have had and the friends I have made while I was attending Eastern.

Seth Richards
news editor
Folks, it’s been a blast. In this, my last will and testament, I should like to offer the three hardest-earned wisdom acquired from my experience as a Golden Eagle as well as divide my estate, such as I shall leave.
First, if you are getting shot at, you probably did something wrong.
Second, if you don’t pace yourself, you will burn out.
Third, always treat people with a proper respect or you will look back on your time and wonder why you were such an idiot.
In the matter of dividing my estate, it is my last will as a writer for The Eagle that my college of academic excellence be retained by the academics who remain the majority of the occupying force and proprietorship be retained by the tax payers of the beloved state of Utah.
I should also like to leave my position as a writer on the news staff to any individual with a decent pen for the work and the foresight to let the school provide them a computer, workstation and a formal press pass.