Some of you may know, some may not, but recently I was promoted to the Editor In Chief of Odyssey at The University of Houston, and despite the very official sounding title, I think, it is a position that is a work in progress for me.

Being the EIC is very different from what I imagined it would be, and I suppose that is why almost immediately after applying for the position I was riddled with insecurities. My imagination led me to think that this position –or job– was going to be something that I handled as a one-man show, and that was terrifying.

To suddenly go from being a content creator to being in charge of a whole group of creators in a matter of a couple of days was just as frightening and abrupt as it sounds, and on top of that, it would be a job I accepted as an additional workload to my schoolwork. So yes, Ketaki was second-guessing her decision for a few hours.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to guess for too long because despite what I thought this job would be, certain aspects of it certainly were not. One of those aspects is the whole, “this is going to be a responsibility I shoulder alone.”

The last job I had was an absolute disaster and one in which my higher-up was both disorganized and not responsive at all, which led to one communication issue after the next. In the end, I worked more than I should have had to, and ended up hating my job enough to put in my two-week notice. Overall it was not a great experience, and I was very worried that this one would be similar, but I got very very lucky.

So this one goes out to my Managing Editor, Berkeley, for being the most supportive, and helpful higher-up that a person could ever dream of. This girl is someone that inspires people to strive to do better and provides enough organization that you could not get lost if you tried. Everyone needs figures to lead them through their paths, and for me, Berkeley is definitely one of them.

From her never-ending patience, and graciousness during early morning calls to the little pick-me-up messages of encouragement throughout the week, she constantly reminds me that being a leader is just as much a person's character as it is a role, and for that, I am truly grateful.

Thanksgiving just passed, but it is never too late to give thanks, and to the one person who made sure to be organized and committed enough to allow all of us EICs to enjoy our breaks as well, A HUGE, LOVING, WORD OF THANKS.

You’re the greatest, Berkeley.