For the past seven years, student journalism has been at the center of my life.
I’m 21 years old, about to enter my senior year of college, and I still can’t decide whether or not that’s a good thing.
When I started writing in high school, every interview and every headline felt exhilarating, but by the time I came to USC, I was terrified that I’d spend another four years sitting in a newsroom. I’ve never wanted to be a professional journalist — I still don’t. But despite my best efforts, I can never seem to escape how much I love doing this job.
Journalism is a pillar of our democracy and one of my life’s greatest passions, but I do not believe that it is a noble profession. I think, if anything, journalists are important in the same way that politicians are important — every day, we provide a highly consequential public service, but it would be ridiculous to call ourselves heroes for doing so.
I’ve seen this industry bring out the worst in people — particularly in myself. I can spend a whole day without saying one nice thing, and I can wake up the next morning and do the same thing all over again. In an industry that thrives in times of controversy and conflict, it is difficult to avoid prioritizing the bad days over the good ones. It is even more difficult to avoid becoming bitter. I understand why people don’t like journalists. There are a lot of things that I clearly don’t like about journalists either. Still, it stings when I hear people outside of our profession write us off altogether.
My friends and I have spent so many nights in the newsroom working on a story for hours just for people to skim a few of our headlines on Instagram and tell us with all the conviction in the world that we’re “everything” that’s wrong with the media today. I know it’s silly to take those kinds of comments to heart, but some days, they eat away at me, and my life feels impossible to escape.
The thing that made it possible for me to balance the stressful and discouraging parts of this job was the constant support I got from the other people on the paper. As much as it might seem like I hate journalists, the people I’ve met at the Daily Trojan have become some of my closest friends and my biggest role models. Every day, they make me laugh, and they inspire me to be a better person.
After my co-editors took on different positions at the end of the school year, I stayed on as the only News editor for the summer. Doing the job alone made me appreciate just how much easier things were when I could work with our old team whenever there was a problem. Of course, even without them by my side, I was never actually working alone, thanks to the constant support I had from our managing editors, Stefano Fendrich, Alia Yee Noll and Nathan Elias; as well as our editor-in-chief, Kimberly Aguirre; our chief copy editor, Halo Lyman; and our Art & Design director, Vivienne Tran.
On June 26, we sent out the last pages of my relatively short but incredibly eventful career as a News editor. I’m more than ready to move on to a new chapter, but it’s bittersweet to see such a big part of my life come to a close.
Working on this magazine after living through an unimaginably chaotic news cycle in the spring has been eye-opening, to say the least. In the News section, our writers never have the opportunity to share their personal narratives. This, of course, is for good reason, but after spending years trying to separate writers from their stories, there’s something so special about seeing people share their experiences and perspectives so boldly and so freely.
I invite you now to read the stories that have reintroduced me to my love for journalism — the stories that have held such a special place in my heart this whole summer.
In this issue, Jennifer Nehrer explores what Pride Month means to queer athletes and fans, as well as the importance of Armenian pride on campus. The student community of the LGBTQ+ Student Center and Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion at USC speaks out in a letter to the editor against queer leaders becoming collateral in the struggle between the University and pro-Palestinian protesters on campus. Sammy Bovitz recounts his journey searching for the smallest major at USC. Reo investigates how the University has upped its profit margins since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Jonathan Park reflects on President Carol Folt’s past five years in office. Daniel Pons explains the importance of ethical landscaping as climates continue to shift. In our cover story, the Daily Trojan Spring 2024 Editorial Board discusses how the Neighborhood Academic Initiative falls short in addressing systemic issues. The Daily Trojan photography team shares a new installment of the Summer Frame, and Rachel Kozik closes out the issue with a heartwarming letter to “The Baby-Sitters Club.”
I hope these stories take a special place in your heart in the way they have for me.
Until next time, happy reading and happy summer!
