Finishing out my third year on the Trailblazer staff, I can’t help but feel a kind of sickness deep in my stomach. It’s the kind you feel when the plane starts to dip just a little too far in one direction, or when your parents find out about your grades. I feel myself hurtling toward adulthood, past my McNeil press pass, my three publications shirts and one hoodie, my medals from all my UIL events. I’m graduating very soon, I can’t change the past, and all I can do is appreciate the experiences I’ve had during all my time at McNeil—most of the happiest being in C130.
My freshman year journalism class was a fever dream. For the majority of the year, I sat alone, playing on my phone and procrastinating the simple UIL prompts and trying to push them as far away from the forefront of my mind as possible. I eventually made a few friends, but out of them all, I was the only one going into newspaper. I worried I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to, and even for a while considered switching into the yearbook just to have some community. I made the right choice in staying.
In my sophomore year, I wrote my first big story, gracing the center spread of the only print newspaper we produced that year. I look back on it and cringe, knowing that I could write something better than that now. But it isn’t about how mediocre it reads now, that story gave me the platform to want more out of my experience in newspaper. It gave me the confidence that I needed to apply for Life & Arts editor, and later the confidence to lead the Trailblazer in both print and online news.
My junior year as a section editor gave me the opportunity to learn more and more about newspaper, learn my flaws and learn to be an editor people want to write for and be edited by, not just have to. It wasn’t a perfect year, but it made me the editor I am today.
My senior year was certainly my favorite of all four, and it’s all thanks to the newspaper. The staff this year was one of a kind, I was the most committed I’ve ever been and with each print paper work day, and every time we got to add a link to the paper planning document, I became more certain that this year was truly perfect, and unforgettable. Time flies when you’re having fun, and this year was a blur.
To the Trailblazer staff, thank you for putting up with me. With me missing stories, with me awkwardly urging you to turn something in on time, with my wrongful remembering of 10 to be spelled out in AP style. Thank you for helping me become a better writer, and a better person, even if you didn’t realize it in the moment. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing many of you for only the past school year, but our shared experiences in newspaper give me the feeling you’re all old friends of mine. I truly look forward to all the great things you may do in the future—whether your passion is journalism, or band, or selling insurance, my time this year has proved to me you will all be great at whatever you do.
To Sophie and Karl, you will both be amazing Editors-in-Chief of your respective publications next year, and I’m so excited to see the directions you take the Trailblazer. I hope that our work we’ve done this year will only be improved upon next year, and you may usher in a new class of great McNeil writers. Your work this year has impressed me, enough to where I trust you with whatever avenue you may take this paper.
To Ms. Gluch, thank you for everything. There’s no other journalism adviser on the planet that can hold a candle to your teaching. If we had any other teacher, the McNeil Trailblazer would not have been a nationally ranked newspaper. Thank you for giving me a reason to go to school, a path for my life and the wisdom to do the right things in not only journalism, but my entire life. I’m so thankful I got to take part in a year I hope leaves a lasting impact on this newspaper.
To the reader, thank you. Thank you for giving this high school newspaper a read, for giving journalism a chance in a time where it’s needed most. For every student and teacher at this school, thank you for your time.
