Last night, the final issue of The Chronicle for the Fall 2008 semester was, as we call it, "put to bed." The paper was closed and sent to the printer. For me, it wasn't just the last issue of the semester, but the last issue of my college career.
I have been a part of the Chronicle staff since 2005 when I first arrived at the University. I started off as a staff writer, then went up to assistant news editor, continued my way up to news editor and then finally went to the top as editor-in-chief. I feel like I've been here forever and known my staff for just as long.
I've been editor-in-chief for a year and well, it's been an interesting experience. There have been good days and bad days. Some days I don't want to be in the office, but I know that the next morning when the paper comes out I'd be upset at myself if I didn't work as hard as I did the night before.
For me this is a bittersweet moment because now I won't have to stay up until 4 a.m. or even 6 a.m. one to two days a week, but I'm sure I'll miss staying up with the staff and all of our antics. No matter how tired I am in the early morning and how much I don't want to be up that late and how much I complain about it every week, I know that in the end it was a good experience and one that I'm proud of.
I've always been happy to say that I am the editor-in-chief of The Chronicle. I know that my staff works hard every week to put out a paper, no matter what computer glitches, random power shutdowns or anything else occurs.
Yes, I get cranky about dealing with everything that is The Chronicle. Yes, I probably complain more than anyone about never getting sleep. Yes, I definitely fall asleep in class all the time and my professors probably aren't too happy about that.
But if I could go back would I have not taken the job? Probably not. I would have regretted not taking the chance to move up and see what I could do as an important part of the University.
These past three and a half years have been an interesting ride, whether it be here at The Chronicle or just in general as a student at the University. I've done lots of things, good and bad, and have learned from everything that I did. As I walk off that stage next Thursday, Dec. 18, I will be taking all my life lessons back to Connecticut with me. I'm glad to have experienced all that I have and learned from every part of it. I have yet to go through a moment where I have not gained something.
Before I sign off as editor-in-chief and leave the rest of my staff that is staying to do what I think will be a great job, I want to thank them. Thanks guys for driving me crazy every week and breaking the computers and keeping me up until all hours of the morning. And by that I mean thanks for being my staff because no matter how much of a pain you guys have been, you're still the best!
Thanks to the many people to whom I complained the next morning about having stayed up all night. You guys are great for listening to my craziness and always being there; even when that means staying up with me until 6 a.m. when you don't have to.
It's been a pleasure Chronicle. Good luck!