A Return to Form
People navigating between the stands at the SMC Start Up event on September 13, 2022, at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, Calif. (Caylo Seals | The Corsair)
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 was my very first production day as Editor-in-Chief, and I was filled with anxiety and angst. I woke up in the early hours of the morning to start planning out how the rest of the day would unfold. The 40 minute car ride from my home to Santa Monica College’s Center for Media and Design had me attempting (and failing) to calm myself down. I talked to my mom, listened to mellow folk music, and practiced meditating all in order to relax my racing mind. There were so many things that could go wrong, and so many possible ways to disappoint myself and my team.
Slowly but surely, we went about producing our PDF. We worked together to copy-edit, layout, and design our content until we had a finished product we were proud of. Though the process was not easy, and though the stress never fully disappeared, the wave of support I received from advisors and staff members ultimately made the stress feel worth it. I became more secure in my position, and though production days never got easy, they became more and more manageable.
As the new semester begins, new faces fill The Corsair newsroom, each one with their own ideas, opinions, and aspirations. Though the familiar butterflies in my stomach may permeate my time as Editor-in-Chief, every pitch, article, photo, and discussion by staff members reminds me of why I became Editor-in-Chief in the first place. I have met some of the most dedicated, talented people I have ever known during my time at The Corsair, all of them united by their shared motivation to make a change in the world. No apprehensive thought or stressful workload will ever devalue the things I have learned, stories I’ve told, and people I’ve met in The Corsair. I am excited to be able to watch my team members grow not just as journalists, but as people, and am exhilarated to be able to witness what amazing things we can achieve this semester.
