On What Comes Next

The last issue of the College Voice under Lilah went to bed at 3 AM—three hours after our yearlong goal of going to press by midnight, two hours before she submitted her first issue of the year. We met the next day for a meeting with President Higdon; waiting in his lobby, we sucked on Lifesavers and talked about how we felt after we’d left for the night. “I went back to my room,” she said, “and I was like, ‘Wow. I guess this is it.’ It was a little scary.” I scrunched my face, as I do when I’m uncomfortable, concentrating or breathing. “I did the same thing,” I told her. “I sat down at my desk, and I said, ‘Woah, this is it.’” It’s really scary.

I’ve been in full-blown Voice mode since spring break. My dog, Windsor, and I went through the websites of all the NESCAC newspapers, comparing and contrasting—a few were awesome, a few not so. Then, I started searching the archives of our paper: reading old articles, skimming old editorials by Lilah and Claire, the former editor-in-chief. (I couldn’t find anything from Ben, the EiC my freshman year, but I Facebook stalked him and got that same butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling that I experienced when I saw him cleanshaven for the first time.) They were all different sides of the same coin: Ben turned the charm on everyone who walked through the door; he made us feel like we were all important, involved, and had something to say that other people cared about. Claire was the trailblazer, the go-getter, the one who turned our website from garbage to gold and was the recipient of all those glowing letters we received from the faculty about how great the paper is. Lilah was the “we can do better,” always making sure we do; once, after reading an editorial of mine, she turned to me and said, “Jaz, I love ya, but this doesn’t make any sense.” She has my back.

I have been the twerp “tittering in the corner.” I look like someone’s kid sister hired to make sure the paper doesn’t fall apart while the real editor’s boyfriend is visiting for the weekend. Still, the Beard, the ever-full Snoopy coffee mug, and whatever Lilah’s characteristic item is (I once asked Julie about what Lilah likes. She replied, “Old stuff.” ) have passed on the baton to me, and I’m taking it with honor.

Yikes. Is this too corny yet?

The newest crop of editors was asked to describe what the role of a college newspaper is during the application process. Answers were varied, but there were main themes: we question, we express and we inform. Together, all of these actions incite change. We ask why things aren’t working, and they get fixed. We express our frustration about a problem, and we get a response. We uncover a story, and we share it with everyone else.

I think this an editorial about what comes next. I’m not sure. The staff box is filling up with people who I know are just as committed as I am, and I am incredibly excited to work with them and see what happens. The paper has gone through tremendous growth in my three years: improving readership, increasing staff, winning awards, getting a fridge. Every incoming editor-in-chief writes about wanting to simply keep the paper afloat. I want to do more than that, but I haven’t figured out the correct metaphor to express myself yet.

Thankfully, we have the summer to gear up and for me to get my rhetorical devices straight. I’m anxious to see where the paper goes, and I’m enormously grateful for the staff that I’ve gotten to work with over the past year. I’ve learned a lot thus far, but I have more learning to do.

So to Lilah, Sherman, Julie, Meredith, Dodig, Racine, Kris, Nick, Mike, Ayano, Karam, Tanaha, Rachel, Anna, Rebecca and Ellie—thanks for the “magic,” keeping the gradient at 50% and not 51%, stale chips, “bumping” it, Girl Scout cookies, Words with Friends, the Brady Bunch photo, fixing the printer, finding the stapler, frostbite, Panera, the April Fools’ issue and always saving me a chair. To Dave, Nick, Jerell, Ethan, Melanie, Jeff, Jesse, Dan, John, Hannah, Cecilia, and Emily—we can do this.

Stay dreamy.

– Jazmine