May 5, 1997

Lessons of experience well-learned

Amy Gonzales

t is so hard for me to believe that this is my last week of school, ever. Isn't it funny how we are so anxious for the school year to end, but, when it finally comes, we always say how the year flew by?

I wrote on this very commentary page at the beginning of this semester, introducing myself to the SMU community as the editor in chief. Now, after serving you in this capacity, I have come to realize just how fortunate this opportunity was for me.

I think the staff of The Daily Campus realizes that we rank on the same level as the SMU Dining Services staff on the community's recognition scale. But we don't do it for the respect we get from the community or for the big bucks! (Ha!) No, we do it for the love of learning.

I know that must sound extremely phony, but I can honestly say that I got my money's worth from this education, not just from the in-class, but also the out-of-class experience. And it seemed like all of it built up in the last year.

This is not to say that the first three years were a waste. Hardly. Those years provided a working foundation to establish leadership skills and tactics. I started my senior year serving as managing editor of this beloved newspaper. I jumped into this position not knowing what I was getting myself into but soon discovered a wealth of knowledge right under my fingertips.

Being an editor of a campus newspaper gives you a different perspective. You are always informed of the many changes happening on campus, from administrative to greek life to curriculum to Highland Park events. You are the first to know these changes and, in some instances, you know more about these events than what you can print (names that remain anonymous or information that is "off the record").

You learn how to deal with frustrating complainants screaming into your ear, something I've never had to deal with prior to my editorship. Nonetheless, I am thankful to have experienced the negative as well as the positive events. You can get so much out of a negative experience, no matter how traumatic it is. Your viewpoint can change dramatically once you've assumed responsibility.

I thought I knew everything there was to know about the paper when I began my editor in chief position at the beginning of this semester. Little did I know, there is a world of difference from the top post to the other editor posts (and Blake Lugash, the fall editor, will soon realize this as well).

Some members of the staff and I are under constant heavy criticism. This can range from attacks calling us anti-greek (even though many of us are greek ourselves) to anti-administration to non-professional. Well I can only speak for myself, but the truth of the matter is that I hold this university in the highest regard. I wouldn't commit myself to the many late nights of hard work if I did not care about this university as much as I do.

I view my role as a servant to the community. I am responsible for informing students, faculty and staff about SMU events. I believe I am looking out for the university's well-being by reporting vital issues that concern the community, and more important than that, they have the right to know what's going on. We all want to make the university the best it can be, and the best way to do that is to provide an open forum of ideas and opinions for the student body. This can be achieved with an independent newspaper.

Being a part of this newspaper has done so much for me in so many facets. I am truly thankful for having this fortunate experience I have had with an on-campus learning laboratory. I really feel blessed to have known my fellow staff members, past and present. They have taught me so many lessons about journalism and life in general. Although I am looking forward to sending off this finals edition to our printer so I can finally have time to think, I know I will really miss the staff and the paper's production as a whole.

Amy Gonzales is a graduating senior journalism major and outgoing editor in chief of The Daily Campus.

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