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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Ready to start

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared.After being named the 38th editor in chief for The Observer four weeks ago, my head hasn't stopped spinning.Hiring department editors, working on the budget and trying to learn everything possible from outgoing editor in chief Andrew Soukup (who took this paper to another level, just look at the honors on today's page three) has made me feel like I'm not ready to take over running the campus newspaper. But then I look at the people surrounding me, and I know the year will be a success.My managing editor Meghanne Downes and assistant managing editor Joe Hettler have the same passion for The Observer that I do, maybe more. They know how to put in 30-40 hours a week while balancing a full class load and not go crazy.These two talented people run the biggest two editorial departments at The Observer, and I couldn't be more blessed to have them right by my side for the journey. The department editors we have chosen possess a wealth of experience in their individual departments. I have full confidence in them to keep their sections running at the high quality they run each and every day.Yes, we will make mistakes, and I know my friends along with the rest of campus will point them out. My goal every day is to publish a perfect paper, and I get aggravated when something doesn't lineup correctly or there's a typo in an article.But I promise when we do make mistakes that we will learn from them and do our best not to make them again.I came to Notre Dame set on joining the marching band. I tried out, but didn't make it. I thought the world was over. I was on the phone to my parents what seemed like every day telling them I didn't belong here. Prior to that shock, the idea of writing for the campus newspaper never entered my mind. But I came to The Observer as a band reject and the rest, as they say, is history.Today's my first official day as the editor in chief of The Observer. I don't think my head's stopped spinning, but I'm just learning how to deal with the job a little more every day.Because Friday morning at 4:45, when leaving the office and knowing my plane for Minneapolis was departing in less than three hours, I got the keys, a handshake and some words of encouragement from Andrew.That's when I knew I was ready.