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The University News

The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

Senior send-off: Arts editor reflects on time at UNews

Senior+send-off%3A+Arts+editor+reflects+on+time+at+UNews

After unsuccessfully finding a club I liked my freshman year, I aimed to find my place as sophomore year approached. I walked through the sea of sweaty freshmen at the SLU fair and eventually wandered up to the UNews table. Since I was a journalism major, I knew it would be pretty stupid of me to pass up an organization that was literally what I studied.

The Arts section was the perfect fit for me. I’m that annoying person at dinner always talking about the latest and greatest movies and shows you should see. And if you have ever read any of my stories, you know I love music.

I started writing reviews of films and concerts that semester, but then went abroad. When the Arts Editor position opened up for the next year, I knew it was the job for me. I wanted to get more involved by really getting into the planning behind a newspaper.

I like to call my junior year at the paper as my “golden year.” I got to interview one of my favorite bands, Kodaline, as well as a countless number of underrated acts like Run River North, Moon Taxi and Judah and the Lion. My writing got stronger, and I grew to appreciate the hard work that goes into journalism.

I got to be in the newsroom every Wednesday night (to nearly one in the morning) with some of the best people. I miss poring over the Arts pages with Natalie while giving her boy advice (which she never followed). I miss arguing with Ryan about nearly everything. I miss the comments Alex and I wrote to each other when copy editing stories. I miss Emily and I secretly supporting Hillary while everyone praised Bernie.

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I miss every single other person on Ed. board that year because even though they drove me crazy sometimes, we were the definition of a close-knit newsroom. I mean, we even spent our spare time going to a Korean karaoke bar in a deserted strip mall in Creve Coeur. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

This past semester, I have loved getting to know the new Ed. board. Everyone has surpassed my expectations. Even though we have had some pretty big obstacles, we have churned out solid issues every week. And I want to give a special shout out to our Editor-in-Chief Kyle for holding us together, especially when I would come to him every week with a new problem to solve.

Some other things I have learned while being Arts Editor? Oxford commas make my soul die a little bit. InDesign is a mystical maze you must learn to navigate. Dr. Meyer is a saint who fuels the newsroom with delicious snacks, and he taught me everything I know about grammar. Write the stories that are fun to write, and write the stories that make you want to throw your laptop at the wall. Pulled quotes and large pictures can be your best friend. Coming up with a good headline can take you all night. And for the love of God, someone please give the UNews some money to get new computers.

Graduating SLU is sad enough, but leaving the UNews is one of the hardest parts. I will always appreciate the good old-fashioned journalism I learned here, and I will always remember the amazing people I have met along the way.

If I can end on one thing, it’s please continue to read the UNews (and please stop using it during sorority recruitment to block out the windows). Because tucked away in the BSC, there is a group of the hardest-working students at SLU working their asses off every week to bring you the stories you need to read.

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    Mike KoettingJan 24, 2017 at 11:36 am

    Thank you for sharing. There are a large number of us who have had similar experiences over the years and found the U News was one of the most important learning experiences of our college years. Stay on touch on the UNewsers Past and Present website.

    Go get ’em.

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