By: Matthew Wojtechko
Is that what you say? Really? Is that how you feel? Well, if you can be so bold as to make that assumption about this paper, then I suppose it’s fair that I also be so bold as to assume that you aren’t very familiar with the newspaper you see before your eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you – almost. I would modify your statement to say some student newspapers are boring. Some student newspapers are just hot air. Insignificant. Lame.
But if that is how you truly feel, then indulge me in also making the assumption that you have not yet scanned through this issue – because if you had taken notice of the headlines and topics within these pages, I’d be very surprised to hear you say you didn’t find any story that matters to you (especially if you are a student, but even if you are some other member of the community).
Whether you’ve been paying attention to The Review the last couple years or if you’ve only just started to this moment, it should be self-evident that The Review is a medium that delivers new and intriguing information that is relevant to you. At The Review, we have no interest in exercising our writing skills to create PR for the college or to string together other works that, generally, have no interest to students. Rather, as students, we let our knowledge of campus culture and our own curiosities and fascinations drive what information we seek and prepare for you weekly.
Of course, I should assure you that, while we’re pursuing topics that excite us, it’s not all fun and games. The writers work fast under tight deadlines to communicate with a wide array of campus characters to collect information that matters – and even after they finish writing, the articles are subjected to a highly recursive set of edits by the pens of the copy editor, myself, and the writers themselves. Beyond the writing process, the production manager works quickly to assemble the document you have in your hands while the media manager gets the word out and the business manager secures the sponsorship you find throughout these pages.
We do all this under the expectation of clockwork timeliness, perfect accuracy, and god-like turns of phrase. Why? Are we crazy? Maybe! Just maybe. But it should be pretty clear that it’s also because we see a legitimate value in doing this and are proud to be generating that value for you.
Now, let me turn our attention to the team member I’ve neglected to mention so far. The lifeblood of the newspaper. The real MVP. The grand poobah. You probably know where this cliché is going… yes, I’m talking about you!
You, the loyal reader who’s reading this issue in the caf the very morning it hit the stands. You, the alumnus who located the newspapers at Homecoming and are curious of what’s going on at your alma mater. Even you, the guy who just randomly found this newspaper lying facedown on a table in the Carey Center – you had nothing better to do, and you glanced at the words on the back page, and are suddenly creeped out because the sentence you’re currently reading is now talking to you personally as if it is aware of your existence. Yes, especially you!
You are all integral to this little thing we call a newspaper, not only because it’s you we have in mind every Monday afternoon when we plan the week’s issue, but because your involvement in this newspaper directly enriches both our product and the lives of people on this campus.
Whether you realize it or not, The Review welcomes submissions from students, faculty, alumni, and other community members with the most open arms anatomically possible. Is there a problem on campus that’s bothering you? Write about it! Did you see a good movie but your friends get tired of your film rants? Write about it! Is there a cause you have a strong passion to advocate? Write about it! This newspaper is your forum to share your meaningful, entertaining, and interesting thoughts with your fellow campus-members, as well as read the thoughts of those around you.
I’ve brainstormed different ways to increase the amount of writing students send us. Flyers and posters seem like a good idea, but it’s so hard to get students’ attention with them. A Willy Wonka-style competition where winners are invited to a tour of the office as I strategically weed out potential inheritors of the newspaper by leveraging everyone’s vices certainly sounds like a fun way to get students engaged… but a little ethically dubious.
What I believe is the best solution is just to inform students right here and now of the opportunity they have before them. After all, who doesn’t have stuff they want to say?
I trust you will remember this platform when an idea pops into your head that you just have to share with others. Check out our editorial policy in the bottom right corner of this page for details on how to submit.
But if that isn’t for you, we still hope to hear from you! You are at the center of what we do (sorry to get all mushy on you) so we would love to hear your feedback, article ideas, and concerns. Our email is review.stvincent@gmail.com, and we have a nice open spot in our inbox just for you.
Talk to you soon!
Matthew Wojtechko, Editor-in-Chief