By: Max Jasper

This past Monday, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in screenwriting.

It took four and a half years to reach this milestone, and the journey was anything but straightforward. Over that time, I attended three different colleges, met countless people, and experienced challenges that shaped me in ways I never expected.

I began at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls (UWRF), majoring in journalism and minoring in political science, while also running on the cross-country team. After two years, unexpected circumstances led me to take a semester off before enrolling at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.

At the U of M, I pursued studies in cinema and media culture (SCMC), essentially a film degree. But after one semester, I realized the program was not the right fit. It was poorly designed and too expensive. That decision led me to Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, where I spent a year and a half completing my degree in screenwriting.

A few days after graduation, my grandpa asked me: “If you were to do it all again, would you have gone to Metro State all four years?”

Without hesitation, I said “no.”

On paper, it might have been easier to spend all four years at one school. But the truth is, I would not be the person I am today without my experiences at UWRF and the U of M. Each stop along the way taught me lessons I will carry for life.

Yes, some difficult things happened. I made mistakes. I lost friends. But those challenges taught me about resilience, about people, and about myself. And alongside the struggles, I made good choices, built lasting friendships, and expanded my circle in ways I never imagined.

Now, I have friends from all three schools — UWRF, the U of M, and Metro State — and I could not be happier. My college journey was not easy, but it helped me grow, and for that I am deeply grateful.

Before I go, I want to thank each individual on “The Metropolitan” staff, past and present, for their hard work and dedication during my tenure as copy editor.

To James Berreth, our fearless editor-in-chief, thank you for trusting me as copy editor and allowing me to be your right-hand man. I would not have wanted anyone else as my boss for this job.

To Paulo Cabral, our web editor, thank you for your resiliency in getting “The Metropolitan” back up and running when our original website shut down, and for teaching me and the other editors how to use the site so effectively.

To Lim Chan, our head of marketing and advertising, thank you for gifting me that MSUSA hoodie during FallFest this year. It has become my favorite hoodie.

To Luke Boudewyns, our podcast producer, best of luck on “The Metroscope”. While I am sad I never got to see it in action, I know you will be an excellent host and do great things with it.

To Kaia Ryden, our former managing editor, thank you for always being a text away when I had something pressing I wanted to discuss. Getting to know and work with you during your time as managing editor was so much fun.

To Minka Koskinen, our current managing editor and my successor as copy editor, I am so glad you joined the paper when you did and cranked out so many articles as a new writer. Your passion for writing was clear instantly. I am glad you are taking over my position as copy editor. You will crush it.

And finally, to all of our writers, thank you for sending me articles and keeping the paper afloat. I have learned so much from all of your stories, and I could not be more grateful.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season filled with moments that bring you joy. If there is one lesson I have learned over these past four and a half years, it is this: do what makes you happy, even if it is something small.

~ Max Jasper, copy editor