Jenn Peterson | Graphics Manager

4/19/02

Three years ago when I was a sophomore I went to my first Whim meeting and it changed my life.  I had no idea how much that one little meeting in the Porterfield Media Studies Lab would affect me and be what I will miss most about Radford when I graduate.

I went to my first Whim meeting with the intentions of being a graphic artist.  Little did I know that I would soon be writing a restaurant review and thus becoming a writer as well.  I have written many articles over these three years and have made countless graphics also.  I also have the honor of becoming the first staff member to reach Gold Star status after Brian Korte created the star system. I've been gold every semester since! These past two years I have had the honor of joining the executive staff as the graphics manager (the staff has nicknamed me the Graphics Queen).  This year I also took on the responsibility of writing the staff newsletter and keeping up the staff calendar.  And when our leader Rachel had to be out of town I helped fill her shoes on the occasional Thursday night to make sure Whim was published in spite of her absense.

Through Whim I became a better graphic artist, practiced my writing skills, learned more about html than in any computer/Internet class I ever took, made many friends, and even learned about the other student media publications such as the Tartan, Beehive, and Exit 109.

One thing that boggles my mind the most is that on the night of my first Whim meeting I was invited to the apartment of some of the executives to hang out for a little while.  At this apartment several Whim related events and parties were held and it was a cool place to hang out.  This apartment had the reputation of being the "Whim Apartment" because so many of the people who lived there were in Whim.  Now, my senior year, I am living in that very same apartment.  Every once in a while I stop and remember the times I was a visitor to this apartment and now I live here along with Jeff and Shaun.  We are making sure this apartment stays the Whim apartment.

It's now time for me to move on to other things in life; my time at RU has passed.  Very soon I'll have to pass the Bitch Be Cool stick on to the Whimmer who I feel will best take care of it and continue the legacy.   The "stick" was handed down to me by its founder, Grant Simmons.

I will be leaving a lot here at Radford.  Great friends, memories, inside jokes, and hopefully Radford has been affected by me in some way.  To all the Whimmers future and present, I hope you will leave Radford the same way as I.  I am going to miss it here, mostly because of Whim and the people I am leaving behind.  I hope you will take the magazine far and beyond its potential and get it the recognition that it deserves.

Now I conclude this, my last Whim article with tears of joy, fear, and hope for a better future for myself and Whim. Thanks for the good times!

Goodbye Whim....I'm spent!