This is my last column of the semester. It’s been a long time coming, and I am having mixed emotions. Let’s take a look back at some of the highlights of my year.

During the summer, The Signpost puts out just one issue a week. It’s more of a training period to get the staff up to speed on putting each issue together. It was during the summer that I wrote my first Playin’ On Purple column.

I had to enlist the help of my family to come up with the column name. I really loved purple, and someone said, “I wish we could find a way to play on the fact that you love purple so much.”

Ta-dum! My column title was born.

A lot has happened at Weber State University sports since the epiphany of my column name. Coach Mac retired, and a new football coach was hired. Both volleyball and women’s basketball had rough seasons. Men’s basketball soared during the season, with Damian Lillard leading the way, just to fluke out at the end of the season.

After that, Lillard announced that he was going to the NBA. The softball team has accumulated more wins so far this season than it had the entire last two seasons. I say that’s improvement. A lot has happened, and things are changing. But that’s a good thing.

Changes that have happened in my life since the summer are enormous. First off, I am 21 now. I can buy alcohol and go to bars. I gambled for the first time. I became a high school track coach (that is still weird and exciting to me).

I started this year as the assistant sports editor, and I am ending this year as the sports editor. Although the reason I got promoted is difficult, I am grateful for the position. I had my first real-world experience and got an internship that I love. I had to quit my first real job for a better opportunity. I am growing up and transitioning to adulthood and not just partying up and enjoying young adulthood.

One of my favorite things that has happened this year is that I learned a lot about journalism and where it’s going. Journalism has changed because of all the new technology. I went on a fabulous trip to Washington, D.C. to a journalism conference there and learned a lot.

Next year at The Signpost, I will be the digital content manager. Basically that means I will put more stories online with interesting supplements like videos, pictures, blogs, etc. I will also use social networking to get WSU news out there.

I have become all about the online aspect of journalism (don’t get me wrong, I love the classic print style, but not many other young people do). I tweet, Facebook, YouTube and blog about news and sports. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @CHolmes25. Just saying. While I am at it, follow The Signpost @WSUSignpost. If you don’t have a Twitter, you could always get one and follow us.

Also this year, I have learned how to film, edit and produce videos. So you can bet that there will be a lot more video content for next year. The Signpost is moving in a new and exciting direction.

I am going to miss only having to deal with sports. I love sports, and just because I don’t write them for The Signpost anymore doesn’t mean I won’t be writing them still. I have a blog and am excited to keep working on it. Sports are the best, hands down, but it’s time to get out of my comfort zone and continue my journey into adulthood and not just young adulthood.