Dec. 11, 2013
By Andrea Behling
During my time at the Royal Purple student newspaper, I’ve come across quite a few situations that have challenged my ethical standards, my moral guidelines and most of all, my will power.
It hasn’t always been fun and by no means have the lessons been easy ones to learn, but I wouldn’t trade the last three and a half years for anything. I am the writer, leader and friend I am today in large part because of my involvement at the Royal Purple.
From sitting in the press box at Perkins Stadium to receiving my first award at a college contest, there have been so many great moments. That might be why I’ve been on staff for a full seven semesters. My staff will attest, I’m somewhat of an old bird at the paper.
I walked into the Royal Purple office as a freshman looking for her place on campus, enthusiastically starting as a sports reporter. After one semester as a reporter I took on an editing position that I kept until the second semester of my sophomore year, when I was chosen as managing editor. I spent my junior year and this first semester of my senior year as editor in chief.
As I approach my last semester in college and look to the future, I have decided to step down as editor in chief of the Royal Purple in an effort to further dive into multimedia aspects of journalism as well as focus on finding a job after graduation.
Being in a leadership role at the Royal Purple for four semesters has been an honor, a privilege and a challenge. I’ll be quite honest, it’s a hard job. Criticism cuts like a knife, no matter how thick the skin. Deadlines come every week on top of school work and part-time job responsibilities, and managing a group of peers make balancing your working relationships and personal relationships a daily struggle. Add that to making important decisions editorially, aesthetically and financially for a publication that has been around since 1901, and you’re looking at one tough job for a student.
I’ve been faced with many difficult situations that have forced me to grow as a leader. My biggest test came at the end of last semester, when I was named in a lawsuit regarding a series of Royal Purple articles. As much as I wish it had never happened in the first place, I am thankful for what it has taught me about character and how important it is to persevere even when the going gets tough.
Despite these challenges, being a leader on staff has been unquestionably rewarding in so many ways. It’s shown me how worthwhile hours of late-night work are after seeing students pick up the paper on Wednesday morning, and it’s especially fulfilling to be at the receiving end of praise for something you put your heart and soul into every day of the week.
But as my most recent chapter at the Royal Purple as editor in chief comes to an end, saying goodbye to the paper and people I love is something I’m not quite ready to do. So I look forward to staying involved as the multimedia editor during my last semester and will continue dreading the day I write my final goodbye to the college newsroom that will forever hold a piece of my heart.
