+ Friends

Finals are winding down as students, one-by-one, close the book on another semester. Sighs of relief, feelings of exhaustion, and nostalgia of beautiful days spent at the []_[] fill the air. There's something so bittersweet about finally ending a (usually) tumultuous ten weeks of classes but looking back on a memorable journey and work you are proud to have completed.

For some students this work is in the form of a term paper, multimedia project, or a business presentation. For others, like musician John Nichols, it's a performance---a Senior Recital. However, John's performance is not just the work of one semester, but a culmination of his time in college and career as an artist.

I met John as his plans were beginning to come to fruition. He entrusted my digital marketing class to handle his social media heading into the concert. As I spent the past semester working alongside my classmates to promote John's Facebook page and upcoming recital, I witnessed first-hand the dedication and enthusiasm he put into his work. His passion is contagious, and he treated our class like his friends, not just students working for him. In turn, I became passionate about getting actively involved and utilizing my own skills to create valuable content for him. John empowered us to pursue our ideas and see where they would lead. So as much as we were, in some small part, helping John to put on the show of his dreams, he was also helping us to create work we would be proud to call our own.

Last night, the highly anticipated event finally arrived. I had the pleasure of attending his rockin' concert, titled John Nichols + Friends. Like the name suggests, this concert was about collaboration, and the great things that are created when people come together--not only on the stage but in the journey along the way. It was awe-inspiring to see so many of his friends accompany his performance and even take center stage for some of the acts. As I looked around, I realized that the "+ Friends" also applied to those in the audience there to support him. As a member of the audience, I had gone from a student who created a John Nichols music video to one of his friends.

While the end of this hectic semester is nothing short of bittersweet, I can now say the emphasis is on the "sweet." From gaining a unique perspective from a musician to developing a newfound confidence in my work, these are the experiences I will look back and remember.