First Week On The Job

A couple weeks ago, I was elected Editor in Chief of The Miscellany News through Fall 2008. For those of you that know me, you know how much I love The Misc. I started my first week freshman year as a Guest Writer, and worked my way up through the ranks. Working for the campus newspaper has been such an unbelievably rewarding experience. I've learned so much through my years on the paper, especially from those above me on the chain of command.

It's pretty scary, though, to think that now *I'm* the person at the top of the masthead. This past issue was my first as Editor in Chief; it was terrifying to say the least. I used to be responsible for only a single section - now I'm responsible for a 20-24 page paper every week. All of a sudden, writers and editors began coming up to me asking for my input and direction. There is SO much that goes into the creation of a newspaper that readers don't even think about. Even writers and editors don't always see the paper from all of its many angles - I certainly didn't until this past week. Thankfully I have two wonderfully organized Senior Editors to catch mistakes and aid in the production process. Plus, The Misc has unbelievably talented Editorial Board, who work tirelessly to make the paper as well-written as it is.

It's certainly a tremendous amount of work, but The Misc is an obsession of mine. This summer, I'll be working on redesigning our Web site and archiving old newspapers (dating back to the 1860s!) online. Incoming freshmen! If you're interested in working on The Miscellany News, I would love to get the Class of 2012 involved. Shoot me an e-mail at brfarkas@vassar.edu, and I'll tell you more about how to begin writing for Vassar's oldest publication.