There are few places I’d rather spend my time than in the basement of the Reilly Center.
If that seems like a strange statement, well, it is. But then again, it might just seem weird to those who haven’t hunkered down in The Bona Venture newsroom on Wednesdays to put together an entire newspaper in a night.
I’ve grown accustomed to staying up until 5 a.m., figuring out the ins-and-outs of publishing a newspaper. I’ve built some of the best friendships I’ve ever had.
Some things didn’t work out this semester — misspelling “receives” on a front-page headline during my first week as Editor-in-Chief was a definite low point.
But ultimately, this semester taught me that leadership is a learning process. I learned that I can’t expect myself to do everything, and that I can’t expect everyone else to do everything either. I learned that, while mistakes happen, I can’t let those mistakes define my experience here.
I appreciate everyone that contributes to The Bona Venture — from our young contributing writers, just getting their footing in the journalism world, to Amelia Kibbe and Hannah Gordon, the two remaining BV staffers who have held my same position.
And then, of course, I owe a debt of gratitude to my wonderful section editors — from my supremely kind and helpful managing editor, Dom LoVallo; features editor Liam McGurl, a fast friend and a superb writer and editor; opinions editor Ethan MacKrell, one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met, with an absolute streak of brilliance; news editor Emily Losito, a conscientious and passionate writer and editor and a hilarious friend; and sports editor Jon Sawyer, a smart, engaging guy and our strongest social media user.
Everyone in this newspaper has made this semester the best of my college career — and probably some of the best months of my life. Even though these past 13 weeks have been stressful and occasionally confusing, I feel like I have grown immensely, and I think our whole staff has.
I leave behind my term as Editor-in-Chief of The Bona Venture with some melancholy.
Where 5 a.m. nights were once a chore for me, they are now something I look forward to. I’ll miss those times, somewhere around 3, usually, where things get a little looser, a little weirder. I’ll miss hazy Thursday mornings with bleary-eyed BVers and Starbucks’ double-shot energy drinks.
I owe The BV for introducing me to some of the strangest, funniest, most brilliant and kind people I know.
However, I know that I’m leaving my desk in the incredibly capable hands of Julia Mericle, one of my closest friends and one of the brightest, most curious and most dedicated journalists I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.
I was convinced that I knew everything there was to know about The BV before this semester — but I really didn’t. I’ve discovered a deeper passion for this paper, the kind of passion that I know countless former BVers have felt; I’ve met plenty of post-grads who get misty eyed talking about their time working for the newspaper. I know, almost for fact, that I’ll be one of those people, and, honestly, I’m proud that I will be.
As Ethan would say, Go BV!
Diana McElfresh is the Editor-in-Chief for the Bona Venture. Her email is mcelfrdh14@bonaventure.edu
