If you ever want to realize some of your greatest capacities, work for a student newspaper. Here, you’ll solve crises and uncover opportunities and see how much you can accomplish, even on the least amount of sleep.
It’s a nonstop job that demands so much energy, and the 139th Editorial Board has been doing it for a full year — a year that has seen prolonged grieving and immense uncertainty. While that largely remains, it’s time now for these stellar editors to step into retirement and let the next batch shine.
These potential editors will spend the start of the spring semester not just reading syllabi and shoveling snow, but also putting together a paper every day. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you should pick up our print paper and look below the masthead for the names of the trainees who made that issue of The Sun.
This training, which we lovingly call compet, is a fast-paced, stressful period that requires innovation, flexibility and hard work, for jobs that are certainly complex. As our compets find their footing, I foresee mistakes and slip-ups. These are part of the process — of learning and of running a paper.
I have the utmost faith in these journalists, who I’ve watched move from eager prospective staff members to strongholds in their respective departments to now potential editors. I am so excited for them and the future of The Sun.
Thank you for your ongoing patience and support through our growing pains as we once again fulfill our mission as a student newspaper to train new journalists.
And if I can speak for the editors of the 139th, I know we all send love, dozens of cups of coffee and a good night’s sleep to the new compets as they face the next six weeks — ones that can surely change their lives.
— K.S.