To The Seniors Of My Newspaper Staff,
As I graduated high school, I left a newspaper staff I had been with for two years. I had forged my way as a writer of anything I was assigned, to the writer of my own column, and a high in command lone copy editor. I thought, “Will I ever be able to top this?”
I can clearly remember walking into my college newspaper room for the first time. It was a relatively small space, but huge for an office. I had emailed a few people, and had landed a spot as a copy editor. It was a role fulfilled by many people, and as not as high of a position.
I sat at little round table in the center of the room with a print out of each page coming in as they were finished. “I’m only correcting typos?” I thought. It was so different from high school, when I edited on a computer and could make stylist edits. “You guys don’t turn off automatic hyphenation?” I was aghast. That rule had been drilled into the thoughts of our high school staff.
The room talked loudly and openly to each other. I just observed, concentrating on my proof reading symbols.
Eventually it made sense to copy edit in pen for only typos. This was a more talented staff, that didn’t really need stylistic-choice edits. As for hyphenating words at the ends of lines, there are pros and cons of both.
Honestly, I don’t remember what I said exactly, but I know how careful I was with the first few things I said, out loud for the entire room to hear. Gradually I talked more and more until I had a place where I didn’t think twice about being myself.
You, the seniors on our staff, are really what make the composition of the room and I’m going to miss you all so much. You all have such great stories, and such unique great internet findings you are willing to share. There is such a unique style, way of speaking, and general presents to all of you. Your perspectives on everything from politics to pop culture, and obscure culture have brought me to see many hidden products of biased ideology, and I am a much better critical thinker because of it. You are all talented, sometimes hilarious writers that I greatly look up to.
One night I tried and failed to explain how much I would miss you all, but one of you said that later we’ll be the new favourites for the students that come in next year, and the year after. We will supposedly be the seniors that graduate and will greatly missed. But I just can’t believe that.
The passage of time is good in some ways, bad in a lot. The same force that is taking away a perfect newspaper staff is also what gave it to me, after taking away other things of my past. The friend I had in middle school. The group of boys I sat next to and talked to in Spanish that I was otherwise way not cool enough to. The couple of best friends I had in high school. Each group seems better than the last, and yet it’s hard to picture what can possibly top these years. I’m sorry, but I don’t see mid-life adults seem as happy with their friends as I see with people our age.
I know you graduating seniors will poke in at us in our office like other graduated members have done. I’m wondering who could possibly be the staff that shouts, “Kaydee’s back!” as I come into our space after going so long without it. I guess I just haven’t met that staff yet. Who knows, maybe in two years, they’ll write an article like this.Sincerely,
Me
