By Julia Mericle
Editor-in-Chief
When I joined The BV as a freshman, I thought I would learn about writing for a newspaper and have something to put on my resume. Four years later, The BV has been the best part of my Bonaventure experience and being editor-in-chief my last semester has been the cherry on top.
I’ve learned more from working at The BV than any class I’ve taken, about both journalism and myself. I will miss the crazy, sleep-deprived Wednesday nights cursing InDesign, knowing exactly who queued up what song on the playlist, hanging up wall quotes and, most importantly, laughing.
Thank you, Professor McNall, for pushing us to do the best work we can and making sure to let us know when we don’t. Thank you, Dr. Wilkins, for scribbling your red pen all over my news pages and ensuring me that it is possible to be both an introvert and journalist.
I am so lucky to have worked with excellent journalists who became my best friends and roommates. Thank you Lian, Amelia and Rachel for geeking out over our story idea lists and running around campus journalisming like we are in the movie “Spotlight.” Make sure to call me when y’all are making it big in the real world.
Corey, thank you for dealing with my weekly Sunday night panic attacks when I was convinced absolutely nothing newsworthy was happening on campus that week and writing the stingers on all my captions.
Diana, thanks for making our semester as co-managing editors such a great time, even though we never got those matching sweaters. Your presence in the newsroom makes everyone happier.
And thank you, Dom, for sliding down the stairs with me on pillows at 3 a.m., wearing the mascot costume I made you out of a cardboard box I found in the hallway, teaching me the “lipgloss” dance, being the bad cop to my good cop and keeping me sane this semester. You are such a good friend, and you will be an incredible editor-in-chief next semester. Good luck!
For all of the new writers this semester, the best advice I could give you is to come down to the newsroom on Wednesday nights. Get to know your fellow writers. Work hard together. Be silly together. This place will become your best part of Bonaventure.
I know it has been for me.
mericlje13@bonaventure.edu
