The Other Side of the Table

In May 1995 I applied for the editor-in-chief position of the student newspaper at New Mexico State. I really had no business applying for it, as I was under qualified. But I was motivated, and the paper was in need of an outsider. Due to some good fortune, I got the job, and it launched the most fun two years of my life. The friends I made at the Round Up are still the closest friends of my life, even though we do not keep in touch as well as we should.

Today -- more than a decade later -- I slid across the table. As a member of the publications committee, I participated in interviews for section editor positions at The Lantern, the student newspaper at OSU. How different it was to be asking questions in the pressure cooker as opposed to answering them. I liked these "kids" today and admired their spirit. Although there were more applicants than positions available, I hope they all find a way to be connected. They each had a reason to be there, and I hope they do not let the mathematics of the situation keep them away from the newsroom. It's the most fun you can have in college.