I have purchased my cap and gown, mailed out my graduation announcements and nearly packed up my apartment of three years.

My time at Appalachian State University is coming to an end.

I will graduate a semester early Dec. 21, 2008 and in most respects, that day cannot come soon enough.

To the staff of The Appalachian, your impact has been the greatest on me.

I have spent the past three and a half years of my life with this newspaper.

I have seen some great leaders come and go through the door of our office.

Those that have made an impact on my life, I am eternally grateful to you. 

If I have learned one thing at this publication, it is you have to take everything in stride. There is no room for emotion in this field. 

Those of you reading this that have remained our constant critics, let me point out this is a learning experience and I can assure you every member of our staff is giving their all to this publication. That goes double for those on the editorial board.

We are using the tools given to us by this university’s communication department. 

If you feel those skills are not up to par, perhaps all the blame should not be placed on us, but some on those who teach us.

Criticism is only good if it is constructive and tactful, allowing us to learn from it. Otherwise, it is just unwarranted.

While The Appalachian has played a huge role in my college experience, it is not the only aspect that has been important to me.

Part of the Appalachian experience, the one that makes our college so unique and sets us apart from universities throughout the University of North Carolina system, is the beautiful town we are able to call home for a few precious years.

Boone – it’s refreshing, chaotic, quaint and nerve-wracking all at once.

Few college towns can offer bumper-to-bumper Friday afternoon traffic and a peaceful, scenic view of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains within ten miles of each other. 

I love seeing the town blanketed in snow and hearing the silence that falls over the roads at night as flurries begin to fall.

I love that the town puts up the lighted snowflakes on lampposts in the middle of October and leaves them up until March.

I love that it can snow the day after students return from Spring Break.

I love that you can spend your summers hiking up Hebron Rock Colony and winters skiing down Sugar Mountain.

I love that it only takes a short 20-minute drive to discover and sample true Appalachian culture with bluegrass music at the general store in Todd.

I love that you can take a step back in time at the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis on a hot July Saturday afternoon.

I love that everywhere you go seems to be uphill, both ways.

In my three and a half years at Appalachian, I have opened the door to a world of adventure.

From downtown, to out of town, to campus and beyond, this town and the surrounding area provide Appalachian students with an amazing canvas to paint our college experience on.

Those of you who have never ventured beyond the city limits have no idea what you are missing.

There is a world of adventure and charm out there waiting to be discovered, and the best part is we get to do it while we are young and in college.

So get out there.

Grab a friend and explore.

Boone is a beautiful, wonderful place and you have no idea what you are missing. I know I sure am going to miss it.

Ashlee Little, associate editor for online operations, will graduate with a B.S. in communication, advertising Dec. 21.

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