Letter from the editor

There’s something I find deeply unpalatable about going from 21 to 22. Twenty-one is such a coveted milestone — especially in the United States. Twenty-two, on the other hand, doesn’t hold much significance to people beyond being a so-called “angel number” and the title of a popular Taylor Swift song. Neither of those things are particularly problematic, but I don’t personally associate my 22nd birthday with either of the two. For me, turning 22 means one thing: It’s time to decide what I’m doing after college.

In case you were wondering — no, I don’t want to do that. 

For the first time in my life, I don’t feel ready to get older. I don’t want to face the “real world” or start my new life as a “proper adult.” If I could wish for anything this year, I would ask for more time.  Of course, I know that’s not going to happen. My life is about to change whether I like it or not, so I’m trying to accept that sooner rather than later. 

As I begin to mourn everything I’m about to leave behind at USC, I know by far the greatest loss will be saying goodbye to the people at the Daily Trojan. 

I met most of the people at the paper just one or two years ago, but it feels like I’ve known them my whole life. They’ve made the most mundane days exciting and the most difficult days easy to overcome. I can’t remember a time I’ve laughed more than I did during my late-night shifts at the News desk with my former co-editors Nathan Elias and Jennifer Nehrer. I don’t quite know what that says about me, but I’m grateful for it regardless. 

I frequently talk about how unhealthy it is to treat your coworkers like your “family” and your workplace like your “home,” but I struggle every day to keep the newsroom separate from my personal life. So many of my coworkers are also my closest friends, and I often don’t know where I should be drawing the line. I’m not sure at all if I’m doing things the “right” way, but I can still say this for certain: Every day I spend in our newsroom is a day I spend with the people I love. It might make me a hypocrite, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

The best parts of our newsroom would be impossible to replicate (believe me, I’ve tried). There’s some sort of magic that can only exist on the fourth floor of the Wilson Student Union, and as much as I want to take it with me after I graduate, I know I can’t. 

It’s painful to think about moving on, but it’s a privilege to have something so special to lose in the first place. There are no words that can express how thankful I am that this paper has been a part of my life for the past four years.

As I prepare to step down from my position as the editor of the Magazine, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. It has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside our chief Copy editors Deon Botshekan and Fiona Feingold; our director of Art & Design  Vivienne Tran; our Photo editor Henry Kofman;  our managing editor Stefano Fendrich; our digital managing editor Nathan Elias; our editor in chief Kimberly Aguirre; and the Magazine’s 24 staff writers, who have truly exceeded all of my highest expectations this past semester. 

Every month, they made the impossible come to life. Every day, they gave me a new reason to miss USC.

Sasha Ryu 

Daily Trojan Magazine