By Zoe Hughes
Editor-in-Chief
Where to begin? There are a lot of directions I could take this, and at least three of them probably involve missed deadlines, cold coffee and someone asking, “Do we have a headline yet?” Spoiler alert, we usually did…eventually.
One quote that has stood out to me recently is from astronaut Christina Koch, who talks about doing the things you are afraid of.
“Always do the things that might even scare you. The things that intimidate you. The things you think that maybe are beyond your reach. But actually, when you achieve them, you learn the most about yourself, and you bring the most back to the world,” Koch said.
This quote is important to me because when I started at the Ranger in the fall semester, I was absolutely terrified to get out of my shell and speak to people. I was afraid of not fitting in, of being the weird kid or even of not making friends. I was incredibly wrong.
I started as a news reporter who was just trying to figure out AP style and avoid accidentally writing in the first person. By the time spring rolled around, I somehow went from editing stories to leading the entire newsroom. I am not even a journalism major; I am an education major, which means at some point the advisers looked at me and said, “Yes, this one. She can handle chaos.” Bold choice. Slightly concerning. But ultimately, correct.
Serving as editor-in-chief has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my college career so far. Yes, I was scared of taking on the role of filling the shoes of incredible editors who came before me. I did not want to fail and have the newspaper fall apart because of me. It is one thing to write a story; it is another to help shape an entire publication, guide staff and make sure everything comes together before deadline, or at least close enough that no one notices.
The Ranger is more than just a student-run newspaper. It is late nights in the newsroom, group chats that never sleep and the shared panic of realizing something was spelled wrong after it has already been published. It is also a place where people grow, as writers, editors and humans who now know the difference between “affect” and “effect,” most of the time.
To the staff: thank you for trusting me, putting up with my edits and occasionally dealing with my former homeschooler sense of humor. You are some of the most talented, creative and hardworking people I have had the privilege to work with. Watching you improve, gain confidence and tell important stories has been the best part of this job.
To the advisers: thank you for taking a chance on someone who did not see herself in this role at first. Your support, guidance and patience (especially the patience) made all the difference.
And, true to form, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank everyone, including Jermaine.
As I get ready to graduate, I am leaving with more than just clips and experience. I am leaving with friendships, memories and a deep appreciation for what it takes to keep a newsroom running.
The Ranger will continue without me, and honestly, it will probably run a little smoother. But I know it is in good hands.
And if you ever find yourself stressed over a deadline, just remember, it will all get done. It always does. Eventually.
Leave a Reply