When I tried out for The Daily Texan two years ago, I hadn’t read a single article from the website — for anyone reading this intending to try out for the Texan, please don’t do this. I barely knew the difference between passive and active verbs, and was indifferent about if I got in or not. In short, I was nonchalant about the whole thing.
And then I got in.
Initially, I didn’t get The Daily Texan hype. I remember reading people’s 30 columns where they talked about how much this newsroom changed their lives and thinking they were being dramatic. Fast forward two years, and now I’m one of them.
Through the Texan, and especially through Life&Arts, I learned the importance of sticking to what authentically lights you up — that the reward of creating is the process, not the product, and that sometimes a 20-minute interview is all you need to connect with a stranger.
I’ve been thinking about how I want to live my life based on the stories I can tell when I’m 80, and Life&Arts has given me so many, like the time I watched a Ph.D. student rip off his clothes while lip syncing to a Slavic song — fortunately, I did not get flashed; he was wearing more clothes underneath — to the time I interviewed the inventor of the COVID-19 vaccine, to the time I had my first
“starstruck” moment when interviewing Lili Reinhart on the red carpet.
My first thanks goes to Mimi, my first Life&Arts editor. Mimi, I never told you this, but I planned on trying out for news or opinion, but then I met you during open house and decided Life&Arts was the only department I wanted to try out for. Thank you for taking a chance on me. I wouldn’t be here without you.
To Amelia and Flora, thank you for being editors who made me want to stay in the Texan, and thank you Trinity for the light and warmth you brought to each pitch meeting during spring semester.
Thank you, Analise, for the fun, bright energy you bring everywhere. Layla, thank you for your kindness and commitment to this department. Thank you, Ana, for being the best senior reporter ever. And to Tyler, you are among the smartest people I know, and I’m so happy I got to work with you this summer.
To my returning larties, Sydnie and Eyesha, you both are such talented, dedicated reporters, and I know y’all will go far at the Texan. To my new larties, Katie, Aubrey, Jewel and Emily, I’m so happy y’all decided to try out for our department and am incredibly proud of how much y’all have grown in such a short period of time.
Thank you to my parents for supporting my journalism aspirations with so much enthusiasm, and thank you to my sister for always believing in me with everything I do.
The Daily Texan gave me something college students rarely find early on — an idea of what I want to do with my life — and there’s really no amount of thanks sufficient enough for that. Regardless, thank you, The Daily Texan, for illuminating a life path I didn’t know I was meant for and for giving me a college experience I’ll forever be chalant about.
