When I went to the club fair my first year at Elizabethtown College, I distinctly remember signing up for at least 10. How could I help it? The world was mine, and I felt like I’d have all the time in the world to explore my interests.
Even though a lot of those would fade into the background of my life as work piled up and things got more hectic, one always remained a major focus for me: The Etownian.
Beginning as a news writer in my first-year, I jumped head first into the paper. On a campus where everything felt new and strange, I felt I had a place. Every week I would eagerly anticipate my next assignment through that weekly Tuesday email. In these assignments, I would meet new people, go to new events and learn about the controversies the campus community would have to work through together. Even when the news I was writing was not positive, it reminded me that we all have a role to play and contribute to the culture on campus.
When stepping into the role of News Editor the second semester of my sophomore year, even despite being an editor of my online newspaper in high school, I felt completely out of my comfort zone. Even though I got training on the software, InDesign, from some talented people who could explain as much as I needed to do, it felt different sitting down and using it. Week after week there seemed to be quirks I did not expect or issues that I had to find creative ways to solve. Still, even those frustrating moments at the computer became bittersweet for these last few issues, where I know I am approaching my final days looking at the news layout and trying to make it fit all the many words my writers have produced.
While my undergrad and my time at The Etownian have come to an end, I am beyond grateful for the 60+ submissions I have put into the paper and the many layouts I have contributed to over my three years here. Even with the countless mistakes, this is work I am proud to be a part of. For those reading this who may be hesitant about taking on one other commitment, I promise you won’t regret your time at The Etownian. As a psychology major and creative writing minor, you don’t have to be a journalism or English major to be involved in the paper. Everyone has a voice and style, and the paper aims to elevate that.
I cultivated a variety of skills during my three years that I plan to carry with me. Writing for the paper has allowed me to better both my creative writing and my academic writing. Every bit of editing and feedback I got has made me a more objective and overall more fair journalist than I was coming into college.I could not have made this journey alone and have countless people to thank but only so many words to do it. Thank you to all the editing teams from 2022-2025, who have had to read my long and rambling content over the years and edit it into content that makes sense. Thank you to Megan and Vince, my assistant editors during my time as editor, who kept me grounded and always helped when I needed it. Thank you to Ms. Erica Dolson for keeping The Etownian afloat and supported. Lastly, thank you to all my friends and family and even the greater Etown community who have kept up with my articles over the years. I cannot wait to pick up the paper every time I am on campus and see how the newspaper continues to grow.
