1851 Chronicle senior editors say goodbye

Hanna:

As a freshman, I always thought that seniors were dramatic. From my underclassman perspective, their complaints were over-exaggerated and their emotions ran too high; the senior experience, especially spring semester, seemed more theatrical than realistic. Throughout the following years I allowed myself to admit that it was bittersweet to say goodbye to the older classes and watch them leave Lasell, but I still believed they were still just a bit too melodramatic to be true.

However, now I am a senior and the spring semester is almost over and I am just as dramatic as the rest of them, probably even more so. When I’m with my roommates and we all start talking, we sound more like we’ve lived together for 15 years rather than two semesters. At night, when we should be working on overdue assignments and applying for jobs (another part of senior year I never thought would reach me), we reminisce on our time as Lasers instead. Shouts of “Remember when…” echo through the room, all of us yelling over each other to get to the punchline or finish the story first.

I used to think the seniors complained too much, but after four years of collegiate track and field, I finally understand that they were actually very serious when they said their bodies hurt and they couldn’t run like they used to.

Entering my freshman year at Lasell, I rolled my eyes at everyone who said “You’ll find your people in college” and all the graduates who referred to campus as home. I can confidently say that freshman year me couldn’t have been more wrong. So I’ve decided to embrace all the sappy phrases, clichés and emotions to truly become the senior I once called ridiculous, because I really do love this place.

I am so grateful for every opportunity I’ve been offered here–and there have been a lot. From being a three-season athlete on a team where I’ve met some of my best friends and learned a whole lot of life lessons, to the classes and internships I’ve gotten to participate in, to this; the little school newspaper I’ve attended many, many Tuesday afternoon meetings for.

It is my contributions to this club that I’m most proud of. From joining as a shy, nervous freshman who’d never written for any kind of publication to becoming the editor-in-chief, the Chronicle has been by far my most rewarding experience as a Laser.

I was a bit terrified this year as I entered the typically two-person job of editor-in-chief by myself. In September, I felt unprepared and alone, but I very quickly learned that this was not a solo journey. I had no reason to be afraid, as I was surrounded by the most wonderful group of editors. Michael, Caitlin, Jacob, Ryan, and I, along with Elliot and Ryan in the fall semester, all navigated this year together, and it truly is because of them that the paper has been printed each month. I have never laughed as hard or experienced more stress than I did this year during layout; all of us just trying our best to fight through four nights of InDesign each month.

Thankfully, I also learned that usually, everything works out alright in the end. It just might take you a few extra hours to get there. Most importantly, always charge the computer mouse.

This school is such a special place, and I will be forever grateful that I stepped into this little corner of Auburndale. I’ve grown so much, in so many more ways than I ever could’ve imagined four years ago, and I am thankful for every single decision that has led me here. I know that if freshman year me could see me now, she’d be mortified at how sappy I’ve become, yet also so immensely proud.

Caitlin:

I feel a little like a poser right now, writing a goodbye to a paper I feel like I barely got to know at all. I only had three short semesters with the Chronicle, and now I’m wishing her well as I’m heading out the door.

It feels like I only just wrote my first-ever story. I only just got the hang of InDesign, I only just figured out how to format everything according to AP style, and I only just sent my last story to Hanna three days after deadline.

While my time with the Chronicle was short, it was also such an honor, and an experience I would not trade for anything—even more time. I can’t be blamed for joining so late, though, after hearing nothing but complaints about the paper from my lovely roommate and editor-in-chief—o captain! my captain!

Like the master journalist and true wordsmith she is, Hanna once told me to send an email “and then think.” This simple statement did sting a bit in the moment, but it also proved once again that she will never really steer me wrong.

After five semesters of being asked to join, I did eventually find out that all of Hanna’s complaints were valid, but were nothing compared to the best parts of the Chronicle, many of which ended up being our amazing group of editors. Writing, editing, and laying out a print newspaper is such a unique experience, and I am so glad to have experienced it with some of my closest friends. Again, it’s been an honor.

I don’t fully know what kept me from writing for the Chronicle sooner. Maybe it was my self-awareness of my tendency to over-commit to too much at once. Maybe I felt like journalism was too far removed from what I thought I wanted to do with my life. Reflecting on all of it at once makes me think that I was afraid of something. Whatever it was, I’ll always be glad that I overcame it and gained the memories I did with the Chronicle, but that fear seems to be returning in my last few weeks on campus.

For the sake of our word count and my still-present embarrassment at publishing my deepest thoughts, I’ll say that I’m afraid of just a few things as we move dangerously closer to graduating.

First, I’m afraid of cringing at this in a few years or days like I cringe at my editor’s note in my high school yearbook, but that’s not my main concern.

I’m afraid that I won’t remember what so many people call the best years of our lives. I’m afraid that I’m taking it all for granted, that I’m too focused on the future, but also so focused on the present that I don’t let myself think about the future. I’m afraid that I won’t think about any of it at all, and I’ll have nothing to reminisce on during that one Family, Friends, and Alumni Weekend that I finally make it back to campus for.

But, if I’ve learned anything during my four years at Lasell, it is that there are two things that I love in life, and they are exaggerating and procrastinating. I know I’ll always remember my favorite Lasers, our favorite days on and off campus, and all of the stories that we yell at each other on the daily. I also know that my deeply-hidden emotional attachment to Lasell itself, plus everything I’ve experienced and everyone I’ve met here, will come out with a watery vengeance on my mascara as I cross the stage on Taylor Field.