When I first came to the University of Connecticut, I was very quickly overwhelmed by the countless organizations available for students to join. I wanted to partake in them all, but simply did not have the time or endurance to do so.
Another aspiration of mine was to continue writing. I have always had a penchant for the craft and as a political science and English double major, I was doing plenty of it. And yet, I wanted to write more. I was determined not to lose my passion writing essay after essay for class. I wanted to write for myself.
So I joined The Daily Campus. And when Becca Maher, a previous Associate Life Editor, told me that being in the Life Section was akin to being a part of every club on campus, I was completely sold.
Now wrapping up my third year at UConn’s student-run newspaper, I have learned so much about life at UConn and beyond; I’ve gotten to write and talk to students and staff about all sorts of hidden gems, whether they manifest themselves in student organizations, on-campus events or even movements.
I’ve also had the best time reviewing content from music to movies; it was the perfect excuse to sit back, relax and simply take a break from the slush of schoolwork.
My first year at The Daily Campus was entirely virtual and my second year, I never stepped foot any farther than the conference room, where Life meetings are held. This year, however, was really quite special.
As ALE, I got to immerse myself in an experience I imagine is similar to that of Rory Gilmore’s at Yale Daily News. From late nights workshopping, to witnessing production and crashing in Sam, Janella and Emily’s office with Esther (shoutout to our fantastic Life Editor) every Sunday night, I was infinitely more proud of the paper I was contributing to.
But my all-time favorite part of my time at The Daily Campus was hands-down my column, Let’s Get Lit-erary. What started as a platform to share about books, opened doors I didn’t even know existed. I got sent advanced reader copies in the mail or through NetGalley and got to interview New York Times’ bestselling author Maureen Johnson. But more importantly, I had the time of my life recommending books, sharing about community and offering advice on how to secure your next read without breaking the bank.
While I don’t think I’ll ever pursue journalism in the future, I have always hoped to write a novel one day. The task seems incredibly daunting, but looking at my author page proves that I’m more than capable. I’ve written 94 articles during my three years at The Daily Campus, all of which are at least 500 words. Now I’m no mathematician, but 94 multiplied by 500 is 47,000 (thanks Google), which roughly translates to the length of a short novel! That’s pretty cool if you ask me.
Thank you to everyone at The Daily Campus (especially Kaitlyn Tran and the Artist section for their phenomenal illustrations) and thank you to those of you who read it! Running into people who recognize your name from the paper is the best feeling. Tell your friends to pick up a copy or check out the website every now and then!
Best of luck to our continuing correspondents and incoming editors! Here are my final words to you: when Life gives you lemons, make lemonade — it’ll be delicious.
