Senior Column: Color my life with the chaos of trouble 

My favorite senior columns start with a reflection on joining The Daily Campus. Although my story is rather simple, I love it.  

I never joined The Daily Campus with huge aspirations. I joined because it simply felt right. I never wrote more than once a week and often took large gaps between articles. I was and still am a campus correspondent. 

The special part of this story comes at the end of my freshman year, when the then-current Life editors congratulated staff writer Zach for stepping up to a role called business manager. It had no meaning to me; however, Zach revealed he was a finance major, which did. I had recently become an accounting major and was looking for more business student-like roles. I made a goal that when Zach graduated, I would apply for his job. I remember thinking it couldn’t possibly be hard. 

A year later, I applied to become the next business manager. I had little understanding of the role, and I only joined Slack a few moments before my virtual interview with the board of directors. Within an hour, I got an offer and quickly accepted.  

I had no idea what was waiting for me. This job has thrown me everything from approving (insane) payroll hours, bad editors, some very good editors, hundreds of Kuali Build forms and possibly thousands of Slack messages. I watched as we were almost sued twice. Even worse, I had to speak to employees about poor job performance. I have dealt with two very different and peculiar printers, managed over $360,000 each year in student fee revenue and lost an uncountable number of Sundays to editor meetings and biweeklies. I learned that a business manager spends an odd number of hours at 1266 Storrs Rd. At the end, I have been a true manager of The Daily Campus — at least I hope so. 

I was not destined to be a writer for The Daily Campus. However, I do feel that I was destined to be an executive — as silly as that sounds. It is through my role that I realized how amazing this place truly is. There is no guarantee in life besides the fact that The Daily Campus will produce a paper, regardless of rain, wind or snow.  

Now for the gratitude. 

To all news writers, you are truly the backbone of this paper. Without your constant effort to find and deliver stories, I am unsure what relevance we would have on this campus. Thank you for writing the hardest articles. 

To the delivery drivers and Yianni, we did it! Thank you for literally delivering the news to campus! 

Jackie, in another life, I visited you more while you copy edited. I should have met you much earlier, but I know we will make up for lost time. Thank you for a wonderful spring semester.  

Maddie, I look back with the fondest memories of us in your office or me in your car, looking up to you as the senior I always wanted to be. You were the perfect complement to my role, and I’m grateful we were partners-in-crime for a whole year. Thank you for staying in touch and passing me the torch of Daily Campus lore. 

Zach, I looked up to you long before I even knew you. I am unsure you realize that the reason I succeeded in this role was because of how amazing you were in yours. You made the role of business manager one with authority, structure and power. For that, I am so thankful to you. 

To the whole of girlboss E-board, thank you for a wonderful year of laughter and friendship, even through the hard times. No one else was a better fit. Sara, I hope you enjoy your last year in peace and remember me fondly! Connor and Raquel, you work one of the weirdest, most difficult jobs on campus, and very few people realize it. I never got to say it, but thank you for being the last ones at The Daily Campus every night. Hayden, I hope this role is as amazing to you as it was to me. I have faith you will do great things.  

Thank you to everyone who has heard me talk about The Daily Campus, or even better, read my articles. Shoutout Christian and Karen for bringing it up during Whitney brunch! All my love to Ayushi, who introduced me to the paper. And thank you Doreen and Stephania for listening to my crazy Daily Campus stories! 

Lastly, thank you to everyone who picks up a copy. You were our goal.