When I became Editor-in-Chief, someone told me, “If you’re not pissing people off then you’re not doing your job.”
I thought, surely, I, a quiet and nice young journalist, won’t piss that many people off.
Flash forward to March 2019.
I’m talking to a senior administrator at the university. He says something like this: “As I’m sure you know, there are some people on this campus who hate you.”
Rolling up to my first AQ story meeting on a Tuesday night in September 2015, 17-year-old me would’ve been frightened at the prospect that admin, profs and students alike would eventually hate me.
Fourth-year me doesn’t give a shit.
The Aquinian introduced me to the world of journalism, a world I fell in love with. It gave me a space to fuck up, learn and improve. Most importantly, it taught me that I’m not just quiet and nice. I’m fearless and feisty.
Before running the whole shabang, I was a reporter and news editor.
Despite the chronic lack of sleep, juggling two jobs, being a full-time student, the caffeine addiction, the occasional angry emails and messages I’ve received, and the dizziness that comes with an all-too-fast pace life, I adored being editor-in-chief.
I think it’s the best job on campus, except for maybe the cannabis research chair the university is still trying to hire. A message to the future cannabis chair: if you ever need a test subject, hit me up. It’s been quite the year.
We’ve covered some pretty important stories this year, including the provincial election, the crop top controversy, the bachelor of social work child/baby policy, a love story that still makes me cry, the university senate blocking us from reporting on them and the universal free tuition debate.
We also started a weekly radio show, thanks to our rockstar arts editor Jerry-Faye Flatt (the new managing editor). We redesigned the newspaper and our website, thanks to our layout editor Caitlin Dutt (the new Editor-in-Chief). Our news section was filled with spicy tea, thanks to the hard work of news editor Haley Stairs. We introduced a hilarious commentary video series, thanks to features editor Lauren Hoyt and video editor Elijah Matheson. Our sports editor Shannon Cornelius fulfilled her two-year dream of having a sports centerspread. Our photo editor, Young Joo Jun, designed some of the best backpages I’ve ever seen. And I stayed sane and alive because I had the support and snark-editing services of managing editor Cassidy Chisholm.
The Aquinian is a team effort. It wouldn’t exist without the reporters who chase stories in between their classes or the folks who are willing to do interviews. And it especially wouldn’t exist without the dedicated gossip-lovers who read our content. You’re the true heroes.
I’ve enjoyed being your comedy queen, your news gal and iconic trench coat-wearing journalist for the last four years.
I’m going to miss this paper, but I know I’m leaving it in good hands.
