Happy New Year!
It is amazing how fast this year went, especially this past semester. I honestly cannot believe that I only have one more semester before I graduate.
Being an editor at the school newspaper, The Lafayette, particularly made the semester go by quickly. Even though we are a weekly paper, we are constantly working on it every day. Story ideas are always being tossed around, interviews are always being conducted, and there is almost always someone working in the newspaper office.
Putting the newspaper together takes a lot of effort, to say the least. I am amazed at the dedication of our staff, especially that of our editors. It is not every day when you find a group of people willing to spend a good chunk of their lives working on the newspaper. Every Wednesday we are in the newspaper room for over 12 hours writing, editing articles, and perfecting the layout.
Some of the newspaper editors and me (second from the left) at Universal Studios in Orlando. We were in Florida for the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in late October. Sorry this picture is a bit blurry.
It is this dedication that has made the paper improve by leaps and bounds. I have lost count of the number of people who have told me that they think the paper has improved – and there are people who say that they actually go out of their way to make sure they grab a copy. We used to have huge stacks of leftover copies lying outside the newspaper office in Farinon (the student center), but now we only have a little pile for each issue that is left over from the week.
I also think that the newspaper has improved because the editors all talk to each other and discuss story ideas and angles, even if it does not pertain to our particular section. In the past, our editor meetings sometimes consisted of each editor listing the week’s stories for their section, and that was it. This past year, however, we have tried to be more interactive in our meetings. Sometimes our meetings (which used to be an hour) are now two or two-and-a-half-hours long, as we discuss stories in great detail.
But most importantly, we’re all friends. We hang out when we’re not working on the newspaper. Our advisor, Professor Briggs, commented on how well we all got along, and how this contributed to our success this past semester. One thing I love about the newspaper is that we all come from different backgrounds, and yet we come together and work on the newspaper together – and we all get along well. I might have never met or hung out with these people if I was not an editor, and I’m glad that I’ve been given the opportunity to be a part of this staff.
Yes, being an editor can sometimes be frustrating. Stories sometimes fall through, writers sometimes do not submit their articles on time, and people sometimes do not want to be interviewed. But what helps me get by are the other editors. They are all amazingly supportive and are willing to help in any way they can. They are also quick thinkers and are able to think of solutions when things do not go as planned.
We at The Lafayette had a great first semester. It will be interesting to see how the spring semester goes, especially since Professor Briggs retired at the end of this past semester and we have to find a new advisor. But I’m honestly not worried, because I know that everyone on the staff has what it takes to keep raising the standard of the newspaper. Here’s to a great (and last) spring semester.