Throughout my three years with The Wolf, I was fortunate enough to have written for almost every section. I have my favorite articles, but none of them come close to my Issue 4 story from this year, “Impacts of Ukrainian-Russian war felt in Oregon.”

After some consideration, I realized my love for it stemmed not from how I had portrayed my beloved Ukraine, but in the way I had connected a huge global event like the Ukrainian-Russian War to the Tualatin community.

The article reminded me of how, all too often, the stories of people involved in global events get lost in the media frenzy. Yet it’s by highlighting the experiences of individuals and telling their stories in the way they want them portrayed that we can build empathy with one another.

This idea is more important than ever to remember as we – the Tualatin Class of 2022 – follow our paths to colleges, universities, jobs and other opportunities across the United States and beyond.

For example, as students, we are not the only ones who have suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic, with our academics, friends, finances and mental health. There are millions of folks just like us and also those whose experiences are vastly different from our own.

The best thing about our intensely connected world is that we don’t have to be journalists or speak another language to absorb their stories. By traveling to places we haven’t heard of, reading translated books and talking with people who have different beliefs than our own, we can learn and begin to form a perspective that looks outwards instead of inside on our own lives and country.

To put it simply, the world is full of untapped stories of our own and others with the great potential to mix, share and be involved in change. So, as graduates, let’s be sure to step into it with our eyes and minds wide open.