As my stint as editor-in-chief of the Arapahoe Free Presscomes to a close, I’m finding myself already reflecting on the last eight months. It’s not quite over yet, I’ve still got one more issue to go, but today I put out the second-to-last of these babies and have some thoughts on this unexpected experience that has made a mark on me in many ways.
First, I’m glad it’s ending soon, because I honestly don’t think I can handle what I’ve had to handle much longer than a couple more weeks. The reason I say this is because the people I must work with are all now the bane of my existence. I shouldn’t say all, because there are three I have no problems with, but nonetheless I must end my dealings with the rest to keep my sanity intact.
Second, I’m sad we’ve reached the end.
I’m sad that things are not certain for me after this, and that scares me, considering the current state of the job market. I’m also sad that I am the last editor to work on the current model of the Arapahoe Free Press, an ideal journalistic model that operates the way a newspaper should. There are plans for the newspaper to become a scholarship-based deal, awarding those who participate with scholarship money to pay for their credit hours. It sounds really cool, but any true journalist will tell you that it’s nothing more than a way for the school to operate what will eventually become a propaganda tool—a newsletter. It’s sad knowing that I’m ultimately shutting the thing down.
Third and back to the subject of the people I have been dealing with: two guys from my staff, both much older than me have become a bit uncooperative in the last few weeks, making the last stretch of this journey challenging. Based on this development, one of the many things I’ve learned over the last eight months as a person in charge of a team is that you can’t please everyone when you try to do a collectively good thing. Someone always feels they’re getting shafted by a decision that affects the rest of the group positively, or at least that’s always the way it seems for me.
Finally, this opportunity was unexpected and I feel so lucky to have had it. It has given me a boost of assurance that my journalism degree has not and will not go to waste. It has also solidified my belief that all things related to writing are my calling… it is what I’m good at and it’s what I love.
So, those are my thoughts on being editor of a small and humble college student newspaper as I am left with just one more issue bearing my name on the masthead.
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