The Beacon has been the most trying love-hate relationship I have ever been in. Just kidding, I love this place. Damn, it has not always been easy, but it’s going to be even harder to leave.
On one hand, you have so much creative freedom and learn so much (i.e. how to eat a burrito while simultaneously laying out a paper is probably my most noteworthy skill). On the other hand, you are basically signing up to be very poor and most likely disliked by your peers for being a part of the hated media. Man, people really love to hate on the Beacon.
However, this newspaper and the people that work so freaking hard to make it happen have become a dysfunctional family of sorts. My best friends work at the Beacon, and I have made some of my favorite memories with them. We have worked our asses off to provide something of value for our campus, and I have learned so much from this place.
I have never had a job where I have been challenged so hard, because no matter how bad things seem to be going, we have to make a paper. There are no excuses; you just have to make it work. I am lucky to have gotten the privilege to work with so many bad-assed, talented people in this newsroom and am so grateful for that opportunity.
While all of us seniors talk about how relieved we are to be done and pass on the torch to our awesome replacements, (‘cept we’re irreplaceable in the wise words of Queen B) what in the world are we going to do now with all this free time and lack of anxiety? We’ve put so much of ourselves into this place, so it’s going to be hard to say goodbye.
This place and these people are great, and while we may not always get it right, we tried our best. Keep that in mind next time you pick up a paper or read an article online, and let’s all work to spread less hate and realize we are all just people trying to do our best. It’s been the hardest job I have ever had to date, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Thanks for reading my sentimental ramblings and good luck next year. Y’all got this.
In the great words of the infamous James Blunt:
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
Caroline Norris is graduating with a degree in business management and international business with a minor in English. She can be reached at [email protected].
