Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh (The Beacon)
By Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh, Guest Commentary
Thursdays were my favorite day of the week.
You see, I was on The Beacon for my final two years at UP. Every Thursday of every week, I was able to see my hard work in print. There is nothing like the rush of seeing your name in a byline, that flash of excitement when you see a student on campus with the new Beacon issue.
I miss the feelings that come with Beacon Thursdays.
It has already been two years since I was Living Editor of The Beacon and I am still thankful for my experiences on the newspaper staff. Not only did joining the newspaper immensely help my writing skills, but it challenged me as a student journalist and a person. I learned first hand what perseverance means and the importance of prepared interview questions. I was able to leave my individual bubble and meet people from all across campus. I told stories that would otherwise go unheard.
In short, joining The Beacon gave me a voice on campus.
During my two years on staff, I thrived in the fast-paced universe of a weekly college newspaper. I loved the story planning meetings, the fast turnaround of a deadline, and the anatomy of a news story. Wednesday nights became layout nights, which were always filled with laughter, stress, and songs sung by caffeine-induced Beacon staffers.
The Beacon became a family and the newsroom was my second home. I am so grateful for the opportunity and learning experience The Beacon provided me.
So here's your chance to take that first step into the newsroom - to have the experience of being on a newspaper staff. Yes, it will be crazy and hard and fun and enlightening. All I can guarantee is that Thursdays will become your favorite day of the week too.
Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh is a staff writer in the Marketing and Communications Department and former Living Editor of The Beacon. She can be reached at ghorbani@up.edu
