Last year when I took on the role of Arts & Life editor, I had to come up with a new intro for our weekly pitch list emails. The previous editor used “Howdy” as her greeting and while I loved it, I wanted to honor its whimsy rather than copy it directly. Instead, I went with “Ahoy.” Every week, every contributor would receive an email from me starting with that fateful word. When I left the Arts & Life editor role for content managing editor, I sent our contributors an email notifying them of the change. That email was titled “One Last Ahoy.”
This is my last issue at The DePaulia as editor-in-chief, a role I’ve held briefly but that means so much to me. This student newspaper has been the center point of my entire college career, and while I’m stepping away to pursue other opportunities, it’s still bittersweet. I’ve held five different positions at The DePaulia during my time here. With five songs to showcase on the DeJamz, I thought it was only right to attribute each one to my titles over the years. Here’s to one last ahoy.
"Waste My Time" by The Crystal Casino Band
I was hired onto The DePaulia as a staff writer while I was still a senior in high school. I only held the position for maybe two weeks before I was moved to a beat writer title, but it marked the beginning of a new era in my life. I moved to Chicago for college without knowing anyone, and The DePaulia quickly changed that. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of my closest friends and greatest mentors in this newsroom. None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t been a bit too eager to become involved in student media. I remember listening to this song the first few weeks of my freshman year, when eating alone in the dining hall still terrified me and I had no idea how to use the CTA. It’s crazy how time changes everything, and I know not a second of my time was wasted here.
“Gossip” by Måneskin
The DePaulia really became integral in my daily routine here when I was moved into the Student Government Association Beat Writer position. It’s a very long title for a freshman, I know. Every week, though, I’d attend the weekly SGA meetings on Thursday, write up the article in the library that same night to meet the deadline, and edit it in time for publication that Monday. Måneskin was usually blasting through my earbuds while I cranked out these articles… until a John T. Richardson library employee came to kick everyone out at midnight. It was a very quick turnaround — with many long nights listening to senators argue over comma placements in statements — but it taught me a lot about myself and my limitations in journalism. I met some of my closest friends in this role, some as SGA members and others as former beat writers. The people I’ve met during my time here have been more invaluable than any byline or breaking news story could ever be.
“Chicago Is So Two Years Ago” by Fall Out Boy
My true calling at this publication was my time as Arts & Life Editor last year, much to the dismay of everyone currently on staff who silently prays I’ll shut up about how much I love this section. I had nearly free reign to publish as many movie reviews I wanted and write DeJamz nearly every week. To put it bluntly, I was insufferable and having a damn good time doing it. One of my first DeJamz featured a Fall Out Boy song and it feels right to reconnect with my roots, especially since I got weirdly into covering Chicago’s music scene during this era. Arts & Life Editor really was the title where I finally felt secure in my position within this newsroom. I gained confidence in my abilities, a new outlook on Chicago as a city full of entertainment stories, and a reassurance that I chose the right career path. I look back on this time with rose-tinted glasses. It wasn’t perfect, but for a moment during my college career, everything felt right.
“The Edge” by Sydney Ross Mitchell
No newsroom is complete without its shakeups, and my time as Content Managing Editor last quarter exemplified that. I didn’t hold this position for very long — hell, I think it may have only been a few weeks — but it was hectic. I took on this role in April and within the span of a few weeks I had: Battle of the Bands, midterms, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, a Laufey concert, DePaul’s Pop Culture Conference, the start of the pro-Palestinian encampment on DePaul’s Quad and a slew of personal problems and situationships. Basically, all of last quarter I was running around with my hair on fire trying not to drown under the weight of everything. It was admittedly a very low point in my life but The DePaulia was a constant — for better or worse. The insanity of DePaul during this time though meant I came out the other side ready to take on the world. My playlists may have sounded depressed, but the lowest of lows just mean the wins feel even sweeter.
“Nocturne (Interlude)” by Laufey
There’s a bittersweet feeling I can’t quite shake as I write this. Even now, I’m sitting in the mostly empty office staring at the whiteboard wall in front of me that fills up with quotes and doodles from each year’s staff. You know it's rough when the journalist can’t find the words to articulate herself. I can’t really imagine DePaul without The DePaulia tingeing every memory I’ve made during college. I honestly don’t know what it’ll mean when I’m gone. It’s weird how seemingly inconsequential things can mean the most to us — how a basement office I complain about every week has become a safe space for me throughout the years. This newspaper has been the bane of my existence, the greatest part-time job I’ve ever had, the place I’ve met my best friends, and a place I’m both elated and terrified to leave. There’s a laundry list of things I’m proud of during my years here but I think I’m proudest of the staff I’m leaving behind. Here’s to one last ahoy, I love you all.
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