Letter from the editor: Sometimes
By Lisa Riley
Issue date: 12/2/09 Section: Opinion
When this semester began I had no idea what was in store for me, but as always I started with an optimistic attitude. I never would have thought that this semester Ms. Kyser, who has been my mentor for about the past three years, would ask me to take the position as editor of The Langston Gazette.
This same position was described and offered to me last semester, but I did not feel as though I was prepared to take on such a role then. I felt no different about it this semester, but Ms. Kyser assured me that I had the necessary qualifications to be an Editor, seeing in me what I often do not see in myself. Hesitant, I took the position and said a prayer because I knew that if I was going to get through this I would need the LORD'S help.
For those of you who have no clue how a school paper is run, it takes a lot of time and dedication behind the text as well as from the writers who create the text. Mondays are our editorial meetings. Writers and staff gather in the journalism lab to discuss story assignments, ideas, issues and anything else going on around campus that can be considered relevant news to students. I've never been comfortable speaking in front of a group of people so this was scary for me. However, I knew that I would have to get over this fear because heading these meetings would be one of my daily tasks.
Most of the layout for our paper is also done on Monday as well as any edits. We always work one week ahead, so on Tuesdays we send in the paper with stories from last week or the weekend to the Edmond Sun Printing Press. On Wednesday, our issue for the week arrives on campus and is distributed by writers and staff while writers work on their stories for the following week. On Thursday, all rough drafts are due, edited and worked over until a final story is produced. On Fridays, we make sure we have everything ready in the folder to be laid-out for Monday.
To be honest, I had no clue of what I was doing at my first meeting, my second meeting, or my first week. I kept asking myself what I had gotten into. After my first week I wanted to quit because it was clear to me that I might have bitten off more than I could chew. All the areas that I have never been strong in were required of me everyday. As much as I wanted to quit, I knew it would benefit me if I just kept going. So I did, and I began to not focus on what was far ahead of me and only focus on the task at hand everyday. Each day was filled with something but each day got a little easier. After awhile it became a routine for me and I began to realize that I was well suited for this position.
This same position was described and offered to me last semester, but I did not feel as though I was prepared to take on such a role then. I felt no different about it this semester, but Ms. Kyser assured me that I had the necessary qualifications to be an Editor, seeing in me what I often do not see in myself. Hesitant, I took the position and said a prayer because I knew that if I was going to get through this I would need the LORD'S help.
For those of you who have no clue how a school paper is run, it takes a lot of time and dedication behind the text as well as from the writers who create the text. Mondays are our editorial meetings. Writers and staff gather in the journalism lab to discuss story assignments, ideas, issues and anything else going on around campus that can be considered relevant news to students. I've never been comfortable speaking in front of a group of people so this was scary for me. However, I knew that I would have to get over this fear because heading these meetings would be one of my daily tasks.
Most of the layout for our paper is also done on Monday as well as any edits. We always work one week ahead, so on Tuesdays we send in the paper with stories from last week or the weekend to the Edmond Sun Printing Press. On Wednesday, our issue for the week arrives on campus and is distributed by writers and staff while writers work on their stories for the following week. On Thursday, all rough drafts are due, edited and worked over until a final story is produced. On Fridays, we make sure we have everything ready in the folder to be laid-out for Monday.
To be honest, I had no clue of what I was doing at my first meeting, my second meeting, or my first week. I kept asking myself what I had gotten into. After my first week I wanted to quit because it was clear to me that I might have bitten off more than I could chew. All the areas that I have never been strong in were required of me everyday. As much as I wanted to quit, I knew it would benefit me if I just kept going. So I did, and I began to not focus on what was far ahead of me and only focus on the task at hand everyday. Each day was filled with something but each day got a little easier. After awhile it became a routine for me and I began to realize that I was well suited for this position.
Be the first to comment on this story