My rollercoaster has come to an end.74 issues and nine special sections over a period of two semesters, and it has all come to this; my last issue as editor in chief of The Famuan.
As I reflect on the last couple of semesters, I realize that it has been a pretty good ride.
The early mornings, and even later nights, have been worth it.When I became EIC I promised the students more coverage of important stories, more investigations and a stronger overall presence on this campus.
I think we’ve done that.
In the spring semester we tackled the issue of students being forced to pay for perks they were not receiving from their apartment complexes, students losing their scholarships and the ever-popular, yet often controversial, spring elections.In the fall, we covered the trial of Kappa Alpha Psi members accused of hazing, the dethroning of Mr. FAMU and the ultimate loss – the loss of a loved one.
I was ready for the people who would hate me because of the job I have to do. They do, and probably always will. Do I care? Not really.
I was ready for the backlash of delving into something taboo and putting our school on “front street.” Was there backlash?
Yes, there was. Do I care? Not really.
I lost friends because of this job, my GPA suffered because of this job and to this day, I still don’t know if half the people who call me their friend actually like me or just hang around because every once in a while they might need me to slip something in the calendar.
Despite all that, I would do it again in a minute. I believe in everything The Famuan stands for, and love us or hate us, we’re going to be around doing what we do every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
So as this semester comes to a close I can only say thank you to the people who have supported this newspaper through the good and the bad. To the staff that labored away beside me, I say, thank you; you’re the best in the world, and come February, we’ll prove it once again.
We’ve been through so much together this semester. From members of certain organizations calling us unmentionable names, to members of a certain governmental organization expecting us to bend over backward to cater to them. From restraining yourselves when people started The Famuan hate group on Facebook, to standing strong when one of our own was suddenly taken from us.
Through everything, it has been an experience above all else. But as this semester comes to a close, my rollercoaster ride is over. It’s time for me to get off. I can only hope the next group of riders is ready.
Sidney Wright IV is a junior broadcast journalism student from Tampa. He is the editor in chief of The Famuan. He can be reached at thefamuaneditor@hotmail.com.