Writing has, undoubtedly, been a major part of my life for about as long as I can remember. I have always loved words – writing, reading, editing; the written word has had a profound effect on who I’ve become.
When I was small, I would sit on the floor in my grandparent’s house and type notes on their old, olive green typewriter. I’ve written short books for fun, mapped out countless stories in my mind and published my writing online. I write poetry, I write fiction, I report news.
Some days, I write more words than I speak, and on others, I struggle to write at all.
Maybe it’s surprising then, that my plan for college had nothing to do with writing. I didn’t plan to end up studying journalism, working for my school newspaper and interning at a press agency. I didn’t plan to report at a presidential debate, or to write, edit and photograph for my local paper over the summer.
Nothing in these past four years has truly gone to plan, and that’s okay.
My role as copy chief has been one of the most enjoyable and most fulfilling positions I have held at Hofstra. On Mondays, I spend more time in The Chronicle office than I do in my dorm. There have been nights where I don’t get back to my room until 3 or 4 in the morning, and yet, layout night is still something I look forward to every week.
I’ve put my heart into every issue of The Chronicle that I have worked on, both as a news writer and as a copy editor. Yes, there have been mistakes that I can’t rescind. I know we’ve all seen them. But that doesn’t mean my editing process sucks – instead, it means that I’m still learning.
As a copy editor, and later copy chief, I have worked with an amazing team of editors (shoutout to Erin Hickey and Sarah Kocher, as well as the newer additions of Mia Thompson and Gabby Varano). Without them, the paper would have a plethora more Oxford commas and 10’s spelled out. There would also be more factual errors – for anything we miss, we fix so much more.
While I can’t quite believe I’m graduating, my time at Hofstra and The Chronicle have allowed me to grow so much, both personally and professionally. I’m graduating with a job lined up, which goes to show that hard work (or blood, a bit of sweat and a whole lot of tears) does pay off.
My path isn’t what I imagined it to be, but the course I’m on has given me so many incredible opportunities. I’ve learned to be a leader, and I’ve become more confident in myself and my opinions. I’ve learned that I’m capable of more than I thought possible, and that getting enough sleep can actually fix a lot of my problems.
I’ve become a more accomplished author with a myriad of bylines to put on my resume. But more than that, I’ve learned to embrace the ups and downs and the beauty in the unknown.
So here’s to the brick-walled Chronicle office in the corner of the Student Center, my well-used copy of the AP Stylebook and the hopeful downfall of the Oxford comma. My future path may be uncertain, but I’m going into it much more prepared than I was four years ago, and for that, I’m grateful.
