Brimming with (Daily) Trojan pride

For a recent “day in the life” video, our multimedia director asked me how I would describe my job, suggesting I say something about being the leader. Instead I told her I was a shepherd herding cats.

Those of you who pick up the Daily Trojan each morning — or even just once in awhile — probably don’t realize exactly how much goes into that paper. And more than just that paper, there’s also our website to manage, our online blogs and multimedia, our longer-term projects and more. Which means that there’s often a lot of stray thoughts on my mind — this Tuesday, for instance, everything from a caption that got posted wrong online, to our semesterly tea with President Nikias that afternoon, to entries for the annual California College Media Association awards.

What I’m often not worrying about, though, are the sections. That’s because I have such great editors. As editor-in-chief, one of my proudest moments was when, around halfway through the semester, I realized I was unnecessary. Yes I do things for the paper, but if need be, my staff is so efficient and well-versed in their jobs, they could produce the paper themselves.

To some extent, I am here to direct my staff. But a lot of my job is really just serving them in whatever way I can. Whether answering questions, reassuring them, helping them when things fall through or giving them story and editing advice, my job is not to make this paper, but rather to make sure everyone else can.

As the semester comes to a close, I’m proud of my tenure at the Daily Trojan for a few reasons. I accomplished many things on my platform, we put out some great stories and, all-in-all, nightly production has run smoothly. But I’m most proud of how great everyone’s been doing at their jobs. The fact that my workload (and stress level) has significantly lessened as the semester has progressed is a testament to this.

And as the new editors have been inducted into their positions, they’ve also been inducted into something else: the Daily Trojan family. As I leave it — or at least take a step back — I’m happy with whose hands it rests in.

Isabella Sayyah is senior majoring in print and digital journalism, and international relations. She is also editor-in-chief of the Daily Trojan.