It’s been a good two and a half years. Before becoming a part of the Kerronicle staff, I first had to take Journalism I. It was freshman year, second period. The class seemed to be going well. I was invited to join publications, so I did my research and contemplated for a while whether to join Safari or Kerronicle. It was a tough decision, but I joined Kerronicle since I’d be able to try everything– photography, design, and writing.

The first day of newspaper was different. It was scary. I didn’t know what to expect. The only person I really knew was Alyssa, since we joined together. Everyone else was pretty much a stranger. I remember coming in the room and everyone sitting in a circle in the middle. I joined them and kept quiet until one of the editors called on us newbies to talk. Everyone was friendly and helpful. The rest of the semester was okay. It was always quiet in the room. There weren’t enough computers for all of us. So, most of the time, I went to the library work on my stories.

Then came junior year. Even though my first semester of newspaper wasn’t that great, I still enjoyed being a part of some great and wanted to continue learning design upon other things. This year went a lot better. The room wasn’t as quiet as before, which was a good and bad thing. There were some new staff members that contributed to this. This was the year where the name Koala was born. To this day, I am still unsure of why all of you call me Koala (NADIA, HADIQA, PHI-PHI, ALYSSA^2, JEFF, ANH, JULIE, TRACEY, KELLI, ETC).

My last year in newspaper has been great. I am the unofficial business manager of the Kerronicle (I’ll turn in my application! Probably at the ten-year reunion haha). Everything has been going well this year. The issues have been a success! We were able to publish a total of 4, not including this one.

Being in newspaper has taught me many things. Things I never thought I’d learn before. In newspaper, there’s teamwork, leadership, time management, and communication. I’ve also been able to learn a few useful things, such as designing spreads on InDesign, editing photos on Photoshop, writing stories, taking photos, and much more. You also can’t leave out the endless amount of memories made. The parties. The struggle. The teamwork. The feeling of a crisp and shiny issue that just arrived. The amazing Negri seven layered dip (RECIPE PLEASE, MRS. NEGRI!).

Overall, being a part of this great organization and publication has really helped me through strengthening my skills. Being a part of the Kerronicle is something I will never regret or forget.