I have been writing for the Cynic’s opinion section since I first got to college.

When I joined, I was a scared first-year who was looking to continue to build my passion for writing and find a space where I felt like I belonged. I didn’t yet know how much the section would change my life.

My writing has shifted tremendously throughout my time at the Cynic. I started off writing about what was familiar, like life at UVM. My columns centered around my excitement about starting a new chapter of my life and my hatred of Trinity.

However, when I branched out and wrote about topics I loved, I was able to broaden my horizons and develop my opinions on subjects I wanted to learn more about.

To this day, one of my favorite pieces I’ve written was about the gender segregation of sex education. I remember feeling so excited to research a topic I was passionate about and to educate others on an important issue as well.

Eventually, my columns shifted from heavily researched political opinions to pieces on my own life experiences, allowing me to learn more about myself through my own writing process.

I would often start pieces not knowing what exactly I was going to say. I would be confused about my own feelings, but knew I wanted to use writing to explore what I felt.

For example, writing about my former long-distance relationship allowed me to finish working through my feelings towards my breakup and gave me closure that I might not have gotten otherwise.

Writing about my relationships, health and hometown has allowed me to make sense of my experiences.

I write this now with my graduation rapidly approaching. I am not going into journalism or writing, and I do not know what my outlet for writing will look like in the future. 

I have spent four years developing an identity as a writer, as a Rory Gilmore and Carrie Bradshaw wannabe with my own unique twist. A part of me is terrified of what my life will look like when I am not able to share my innermost thoughts and feelings in a public forum.

Opinion has given me an outlet to learn new things about the world and about myself.

I am grateful to have had the space to explore what I love for these past four years, and I hope that present and future opinionated Cynics are able to find their voice and passion through this outlet as well. You have all my love.

Signing off,

Emma

Emma Dinsmore has been an opinion columnist for the Cynic since fall 2021 and the Cynic’s Digital Media Editor since spring 2024. She is a senior elementary education major and political science minor, and plans to be an elementary school teacher after graduation.