I never really pictured my time in-house coming to an end, and while I’m feeling so many things — sad to leave, excited for senior staff, hopeful to come back in-house in the future — I’ll never forget my time in 230. From decking out the culture office to writing some of the stories I’m proudest of, the last two semesters in house (and my first semester as a staff writer) have been some of the best times of my life.

From the first day I knew I was going to Syracuse, I wanted The Daily Orange to be part of that experience. What I don’t think I realized is how much this newspaper, and every single person who works here, would influence me as a person and journalist. My time at The D.O. is something I’ll carry with me wherever I go in life.

Louis Platt: Our fearless leader. I definitely haven’t said this enough, but thank you for hiring me as an assistant. This past semester hasn’t been easy, but between late-night edits and early-morning press releases, you’ve taught me and Sydney so much. I’ll forever be grateful for what I learned this semester. Thanks for killing bugs and not getting mad when I realized I’d been posting columns wrong.

Sydney Pollack: The best DJ/art critic that Culture could’ve asked for this semester. I’m so happy to have been an assistant alongside you. Your music taste is impeccable, and despite the fact that I didn’t always understand, I loved trying to learn about art through your columns. Even though we won’t be in house next semester, I know who to go through if I ever have a piece that needs the Pollack Polish. Bonne chance en Allemagne.

Abby Weiss: The D.O.’s digital overlord. Taking PSC 302 with you this semester has been great, and I’m so impressed with all your digital genius. All semester, I’ve been in awe of how much you give to this paper, even if we never know which Abby someone’s talking to.

Sydney Bergan: The first one who took a chance on me. I’m so incredibly grateful to you for hiring me as a copy editor for last spring. You consistently put out such amazing stories, and I’m so glad I’ll always be able to point at those and say I worked for you.

Siron Thomas: Culture’s resident Juice-Jammer this semester. You’ve picked up so many coverages during this past semester, which is something I know we all appreciated. I always love reading your music stories, and you’ve brought so much energy to Culture. You’re going to do so, so well as assistant.

Dakota Chambers: My biggest DoorDash enabler and our favorite name-dropper. I have no words for how much I’ll miss your insane celebrity stories and your support of my semester-long Domino’s habit. I’d better be getting Slack messages from you whenever you have a story to tell. I can’t wait to see what you do next semester as assistant.

Lucy Messineo-Witt: Our adopted culture staffer. I’m so glad we adopted you into the section this semester. Your photo and editing abilities (like photoshopping all of our faces) are unmatched, and I know one day an NFT of our French Dispatch is going to sell for big money. Keep on knitting, et à la prochaine.

Mengyao Wang: One of the hardest-working people in Culture. I have so much admiration for the work you’ve done this semester. With all those graphics on all those print nights, you’ve helped us keep culture stories looking impeccable online.

Austin Lamb: Culture’s copy hero. Thank you for every single time you’ve saved me from poor sentence structure this semester — I know it happened a lot.

Emily Steinberger: The D.O.’s favorite photographer. Thank you for welcoming me onto the photo staff last fall. Even though I went full-Culture pretty quickly, I’ll always be grateful to the photo section for some truly incredible assignments (read: the NUTmobile). You’ve led The D.O. so incredibly well this year, and I can’t wait to see where it goes in the spring semester.

Mandy Kraynak: My first culture editor. When I started as a contributing writer last fall, I had no idea what to expect. You guided the section so well that semester, and I’m incredibly grateful to have started during your reign.

Jordan Greene: My partner in copy-editing crime. Navigating a first semester in house during spring 2021 was anything but easy, but between bouncing around the offices at 230 and trying to figure out how Slack worked, we managed pretty well. I’m so glad to have worked alongside you that semester, and I’ve loved seeing your articles this semester.

Gavi Azoff: The best copy mentor I could’ve asked for. My first transition week I was nervous beyond belief, but you coached me through it all. I’ll always have a soft spot for copy, and I can’t thank you enough for showing me the ropes.

Ms. Misar and Ms. Nelson: The ones who gave me my start. Thank you for helping me build a foundation in journalism — the two of you made the Crossed Sabres feel like home and taught me how to be a good reporter. Teaching a group of high schoolers how to make a good newspaper can’t be easy, but I know none of us could’ve asked for a better environment to write in. For everything you did for me, and for every student who came through the Pub Lab doors, thank you.

The Crossed Sabres: Where it all started. I joined staff on a whim freshman year, and I never would’ve guessed all of this could come from needing an elective class. Syracuse was always the right choice for me, but I’ve never known that as surely as I did when I walked into The D.O. and felt reminded of home in the Pub Lab. I will always love this paper. To the staff, past, present and future: I’m always in your corner. Roll Gens.

Published on December 9, 2021 at 2:47 am

Contact Abby: avpresso@syr.edu | @abbyvp08