I’ve tried to stay involved with MIPA as much as I possibly can — I judged contest entries and moderated a contest for this conference and in the past have volunteered to help out during other conferences. It’s important to me because when I was in high school, The Black & Gold was my entire world, and MIPA was the pinnacle of what I could achieve. Seeing the children’s excitement about journalism affirms my love for this industry. Being able to give back to something that gave me so much makes me feel pretty good.

For those of you who don’t know, MIPA is run out of MSU’s School of Journalism, and for 25 years has been directed by an incredible professor named Cheryl Pell, who has made Michigan high schoolers — and their advisers — feel valued and appreciated for the work they do.

But my column really isn’t about MIPA or how awesome it is. It’s about the feeling that overtook me as I watched all the children jump up and cheer when they received their awards, how they all proudly wore matching T-shirts with the name of their publications scrawled across the front and how when they met each other — no matter where they were from — they were able to instantly form friendships and bonds.

As a college senior, there are plenty of times I feel bogged down by life. Whether it’s student loans being waved in my face, the constant search for a job or the pressure to buckle down and get all of my work done, I always get this sense I’m not reveling in life often enough. Standing there alongside the Lansing Center’s large banquet hallway roaring with the cheers of these kids winning awards, it hit me: they believe in something, and they take pride in everything they do with journalism.

Too often, we sit and complain about life. Too often, we feel as though we’re too old or mature to get up with such gusto and cheer for ourselves or for others around us. I can’t remember the last time I was as excited about anything as these kids were about MIPA, and to see them beaming with such pure joy brought tears to my eyes.

They are inspiring.

They believe in what they’re doing, whether or not anyone else tells them so, and they never give up on themselves. You can’t tell the difference between a kid who wins first place and a kid who gets an honorable mention. Both are there with an ear-to-ear smile, posing for the camera as their advisers take photos of them with their certificate.

Talking to others around the newsroom, I realize the majority of us are former MIPA kids. We all felt the joy of being appreciated for our work, we all knew that MSU was the place for us because of MIPA, and we had these incredible adults pushing us to do great things.

And I wonder, when was the last time they felt excited about life? Do they feel as though every day they are doing something that is making a difference, and do they know that they are valued?

It made me realize we’re often our harshest critics. We are able to look at the many challenges in life and let them overtake us. We should be more willing to fight them, willing to believe in the idea that we can do anything if we just put our minds to it. And if we succeed in doing that, well, then we should cheer for ourselves and our friends and our peers until our voices are hoarse.

So go on because you are valued, and take the time to celebrate the wonderful things that you do.

Kate Jacobson is the State News editor in chief and an English senior. Reach her at jacob171@msu.edu.