The Centaurian was more than an extra curricular for me
this year. Through my writing and my
role as Editor in Chief, I learned an immense amount about myself and how to
work with others in certain environments.
Articles that I wrote such as Transforming
into Manhood: An Interview with Niko Walker and Students Carry On Years of Impact, as well as my research on
tattoo parlors, taught me about communication, organization, and the human
mind. Other aspects of the paper that
I worked on, including editing and leading, taught me the same facets.
When I dove into my article on Niko
Walker, I felt excited and honored to be interviewing such a highly-regarded
alumnus of Culver High. I was eager to meet Walker and hoped we would keep in
touch following the interview. However,
due to poor communication, I never met Walker face-to-face. The interview was
simply conducted over email. Though the
interview was published and was very popular among the student body, I knew it
could’ve been better. Email interviews are so impersonal and the least ideal
way of going about an article. I could have made the story ten times more
interesting if I had seen his face and the way he talked. After a disappointing article, I vowed never
to conduct an interview over email again. If it came down to the wire, I would just not
run an article of my own that contained an email interview. That’s why when I began work on researching
topics for the May issue centerspread, Straight
to the Point, I made sure my interview with the oldest tattoo parlor in
Venice was up close and personal. Even
though we did not publish my profile on the parlor, it was an amazing
experience—the intimacy of the interview was satisfying and informative and I
was able to provide a vivid description of the atmosphere.
Realizing the fulfillment I felt
after that interview, I eagerly applied my tactics to other work. This was included in my favorite article that
I wrote, Students Carry on Years of
Impact, the profile on Diane Kaiser and Joanna Maxwell. I spoke with the both of them face-to-face
and I felt a strong sense of communication between the three of us. It was my
favorite piece because it was a published article of mine that included a
personal touch.
Although I loved to write for the
paper, I believe that most of what I learned this year was from my role as
EIC. Through trial and error, I learned
ways to engage writers, incentivize editors, and organize myself amongst my
busy schedule to ensure that we produced quality work. Every issue looked good, but they also could
have been better in many ways. Each
progressive issue improved however, because my skills, along with everyone
else’s, were improving as well. My
communication skills developed and I learned the fine art of diplomacy.
Yes, being a part of The Centaurian staff could be stressful
and frustrating. However, every minute
was worth it, having come out of the class laden with the skills I now acquire.
The year was also a great outlet for my creativity and a place where I was able
to meet new people. Besides, anything worth anything at all takes time and is
challenging. Plus, I would not be eager
to build up the online Culver Blog and introduce a modern form of journalism to
Culver High if I didn’t think my participation in The Centaurian staff was a valuable experience.
