Out of the innumerable amount of skills I’ve gained throughout my four years at Northwood, the one that stands out to me the most is my ability to sleep nearly anywhere. Friends and teachers alike have found me leaning on bookshelves, sitting in desk chairs and perched on lab station stools, using my sweatshirt or clarinet case as an impromptu pillow. This skill was furthered by my time in The Howler, and I found myself (more than once) waking up on the floor of the pod on a deadline day wondering where my page was. Like my Northwood experience, The Howler has given me much more than new accidental nap spots, and has been an integral factor in the growth I’ve experienced during my time here.

The Howler is a class that requires creativity, and with creativity comes a level of vulnerability that I didn’t necessarily experience in other classes. I can solve math problems with a formula or a graphing calculator. I can use credible theories and scientific laws to back up my CEJs. I can cite dates, historical figures and key events in my DBQs. I write essays analyzing literary and poetic devices from other authors. But The Howler is a student-produced publication, and as such, allowed me to express myself creatively and forced me to be vulnerable with my peers in an intellectual setting.

Despite the stark contrast this presented from my other classes, it took me a couple years of being a part of The Howler to understand and articulate that challenge. Looking back, however, this aspect of the class is one of the main reasons why it’s been instrumental in my academic and personal growth. The Howler became a place where I let myself make mistakes and take criticism from my peers, and despite the insecurity this initially presented, doing so immensely helped me mature as a writer and student.

I owe a million thank-yous to Ms. Alburger and to all of my classmates for coaching and inspiring me to work harder and to grow. No words or gestures could express the gratitude I hold for everything you all have done for me. I only hope that anyone reading this is able to find a similar creative outlet that brings them the same freedom and growth as this experience has given me.