the Informer

There is a moment in the opening of the 2009 film “Up In The Air” where people talk about their experiences getting fired.
One of the extras talks about how losing one’s job is comparable in stress level to a death in the family.

“But, personally, I feel more like the people I worked with were more like my family and I died,” he says.

On May 16, nine of my friends here at the Informer will move on to the real world, all with different hopes and dreams.

I’m going to be here next year as Editor-in-Chief of the Informer, so why does it feel as though I’m the one that will be dead?
In 2007 I was a freshman, completely terrified of everything that was happening—sure the classes were interesting, but everything was just strange and new to me.

Before that, I had briefly met the then-Informer staff at the club fair during orientation, where I needed very little persuasion to sign up to become a writer.

Needless to say, it was the best decision of my entire college career here. Seriously. I enjoyed having the opportunities this organization has presented me especially with the nine seniors on staff that are graduating.

With this staff I went on my first flight and subsequent flights to amazing places, as well as getting stranded in not so amazing places (Sorry, Charlotte, but an inch or less of snow does not mean ground all flights, at least where I come from).
In the last two years I have been on the editorial board, we have received acclaim far more than any other years on record. The Informer is a finalist for an Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker award and was awarded second runner-up for the New England Society of Newspaper Editors’ college newspaper award.

These accolades wouldn’t have been possible without the excellent leadership skills that our Editor-in-Chief, Melissa, possesses. She will be modest about it, but she asks for nothing less than extraordinary effort from this staff and what we produce shows it.

This staff is populated with truly great people—always willing to help each other out no matter what the circumstance and sharing a laugh. It goes without saying, but seniors, you’ll be missed.

At the same time excited with the prospects of leading a new editorial board with members who are already becoming fast friends.

The prevailing theme here is flight and, for the senior staff, their flights are departing the gate and preparing for takeoff.
I know, whatever the destination, seniors on staff will be successful in whatever they decide to do. One thing is for sure; I will cherish the experiences we had together as a staff and as friends.