There’s a familiar story at The Observer: coming onto campus as a first-year, never anticipating that you would join the student newspaper on a whim and finding the best family you never realized you were missing. Of course, as the Executive Editor, I follow the same archetype as those before me.

As a pre-med biomedical engineering freshman, I told myself I was only going to write for The Observer. I would never join the Editorial Board because I would be busy building my medical school resume with “pre-med stuff.” Yet, here I am as the executive editor.

The decision that inevitably led me to run for executive editor resulted from the love I gained from the hours toiling in the University Media Board office, as well as from interacting with people on campus. Being a part of the student newspaper meant I was intrinsically intertwined with campus life—I had the opportunity to interview student-athletes, members of the undergraduate student government, university administration and even random people I would accost in Thwing or Tinkham Veale University Center. The longer I spent on The Observer, the more I understood the importance of journalism. It isn’t just about catchy headlines and sensationalism, but community and sharing the stories. We now live in a time where journalism is heavily scrutinized; the new era of technology has greatly impacted the industry and will only continue to do so with the rise of AI. Yet that is why journalism is so important. People tell stories.

Throughout my time as an Editorial Board member, I have had my fair share of experiences, ranging from going to my first Observer bonding at Big Bounce America (and accidentally getting locked in the car) to doing coverage of the 2024 Gaza Solidarity Encampment (while taking a computational physics final that I did not get a passing grade on … ). Eighty-four articles later, I’m proud of what I have accomplished. It’s taken a lot of time (and energy) out of me, but each week I find myself in the UMB office with a smile.

There is a reason that we all choose to come back every week, even after those 12-hour production nights. The Observer is a home, and you cannot have a home without the people who make it a family.

Those who first welcomed me to The Observer were former Executive Editor Shivangi Nanda and former Director of Print Elie Aoun. Helming The Observer for two years, a truly astounding feat, these two are some of the most incredible people I’ve met. Despite epically failing the practice copy editor article (I failed to notice a missing period at the end of a paragraph), Shivangi and Elie stuck by me. Shivangi’s warm personality made me feel instantly at ease in the new environment. Now as executive editor, I am in awe of her leadership skills and how she managed to hold the Editorial Board together for two years. While Elie initially carried a stern attitude that made approaching him with questions as a copy editor a bit frightening, he warmed up over the last year, and I had the privilege of learning that he is one of the most passionate people on the paper. His meticulous care for all things commas and AP Style will always be memorable.

Another person who holds my utmost admiration for their love for The Observer is former News Editor Extraordinaire Helen Treseler. Throughout my first year on the editorial board, anytime laughter rang through the office, the source was always Helen. But it wasn’t until covering the Gaza Solidarity Encampment Protest that I finally got to befriend her. There is a phrase in Chinese that goes beyond best friend, 知己 (zhī jǐ), which means friends who understand each other on a spiritual level. I think it perfectly captures our relationship. Our love for reporting connected us; between the two of us, we were always a call away from reporting the latest protest. Anytime anything newsworthy occurred, she would be the first person I would go to, and she would indulge in my wildest journalism endeavors. Together with now-Director of Print and then-Opinion Editor Hannah Johnson, our late-night walks back to North Residential Village are some of my fondest memories. We would talk about everything and anything, although most of the time it was about current articles in progress and future article ideas. The Observer was clearly on our minds every waking moment.

I think The Observer attracts some of the coolest people on campus. Although former News Editor Vani Subramony was only with The Observer for a semester, her passion for journalism was felt through every article. But most of all, she inspired me to be a better journalist.

This year, we had an unusually high turnover. Last year, nine editorial board members graduated. However, I never had any concerns about The Observer. I had the directors by my side. Hannah is always a voice of reason during the long, delirious nights. She keeps me on track, no matter how intriguing the side conversations are around me. Her steady presence is a comfort as I know she will always be there.

My favorite part of being the executive editor is watching The Observer’s growth, whether as the organization itself or as its people. One of those people I’ve seen tremendous growth from is our Director of Business Operations, Tyler Vu. Despite always threatening to quit, I know Tyler will always deliver on time. Building the business team from the ground up is something nobody else could have done.

Director of Design Anjali Bhuthpur, my Safe Ride companion and sports page partner, is the ball of sunshine in our pessimistic group of directors. She is the mediator, bringing infectious joy to our director’s meetings and production nights. Her compassion and ability to draw the attention of those around her makes one feel instantly at home.

Director of Design Lucas Yang has to be the most talented person I know. Beyond his eye-catching graphics, did you know he also has a wide repertoire of writing? As the night begins to draw on, he is always willing to help edit the most difficult pieces—sometimes those which require significant rewriting, as well as writing the best satire you’ve ever laid your eyes on. The fact that he has not written much for The Observer is a bit of a shame, but I know his mastery of crafting stories will lead to innumerable achievements as a lawyer.

It seems so unfair to say that Auden Koetter’s title is just director of digital media, because she is so much more than that. She has single-handedly turned our paper into what it is today. I still remember going to the Spring 2024 ACP Conference in La Jolla with Auden. After a couple of days of attending seminars about elevating newspaper designs, she immediately put it into practice. It is without a doubt that her works as former director of design are some of the best designs The Observer has ever produced. From the eclipse front page to the award-winning Civil Unrest, she has truly mastered the craft. Now as director of digital media, she has revitalized the team and created a brotherhood unique to The Observer.

I could not be happier with the group of underclassmen that brought life to UMBO. There is never a moment without laughter in the office, whether it’s from the random conversations at the digital media team couch, from the inside jokes told at the mixed business and design team table and design bay, or from the personal stories at the print table. Growing the editorial board to 40+ people definitely has its challenges, but I would not have it any other way. Section Editors Alyssa Wang, Penelope “Penny” Cloonan, Aleksandra Majewski and Ellie Palaian all stepped up to the task, making the large transition from writer to section editor. Their passion for their respective sections and willingness to go the extra mile for their articles is something I am incredibly grateful for. Copy Editors Siya Motwani, Riya Kulkarni, Abhishek Nambiar, Wendy Chen, Mariana Parilli-Castillo, Michelle Bai, Kashvi Madhwani and Lily Zhang are all brilliant, and actually make the solo process of editing a fun community effort. Web Editors Moses Fleischman and Obafemi Tidjani have admirable patience as they wait for me to finish my blurbs each week. Photo Editors Tyler Sun and Phillip Kornberg are some of the funniest people I’ve met. While not always the most glorious position, as it involves scouring the internet for royalty-free images, each week they take the most impressive and creative photos. Anya Lin, Ben Kang, Kristina Guo and Kiera Ng all arrived at the Editorial Board without the Directors knowing they are the best of friends. Their little quartet tucked in the corner of the UMB office brings a smile to my face as the energy never dies down, even as midnight approaches. I’m so grateful to have been your executive editor and I look forward to seeing what you guys will do next.

I also want to thank former Sports Editor Puneet Bansal for her patience with all the questions I asked as a copy editor, learning new sports terminology from various positions to gameplay. Her coaching led to my position as sports editor, and, during my year-long tenure, I could not be more grateful to Ellie and Abhishek. They helped me build the sports section up and put up with my weekly section meetings. I’m so proud of what they have made the sports section and what they will continue to do with it.

As we turn the page to the next volume with The Observer, I am incredibly excited to follow along as the newspaper grows in Penny’s hands. It is bittersweet to say farewell to the organization that defined my college experience. While I will miss the feeling of walking into the UMB office ready for a night of adventure, I know the memories and friends will continue to be with me as I embark on the next journey.