Two years ago, almost exactly, I got an email accepting me on to the Daily Emerald arts and culture desk. My sophomore year of college was coming to a close, and I was two years into my Popular Music Studies major. I hadn’t done journalism since high school, and I was so excited to get back in the game.
When I came on to the desk, I was looking for a place to combine my love of the arts and culture world, particularly music, with my interest in journalism. I wanted to write and tell stories. Not only did I do that, I found something much more valuable: a piece of myself. As cliché as that sounds, I really don’t think I would be where I am today if not for the Daily Emerald.
In June 2021, the shock of the pandemic had worn off and we thought it was getting better. The Delta variant hadn’t reared its ugly head yet. I was aching to meet people and have social interactions again, which was one of the draws of journalism. While I loved my first few story assignments, reviewing new albums from Modest Mouse and Billie Eilish, I vividly remember covering Eugene Pride that summer. It was the first assignment I had that involved going out somewhere, having to swallow my anxiety and approach strangers to ask somewhat personal questions about being in the LGBTQ+ community and celebrating pride. I remember interviewing a vendor, who was an ally supporting her queer child, and local drag queen Bonnie Rose. It was my first taste of the personal nature of reporting, and I was hooked.
The deeper I got into the arts and culture reporting world, the more I loved it. I navigated three cover stories my junior year, covering issues in the local music scene, the impacts of seasonal depression on artists and the meaning of art to artists in the LGBTQ+ community. In those stories I learned how to cover sensitive topics while balancing weekly deadlines, on top of school, a leadership role in the Music Industry Collective club, my band Mothra and attempting to have a social life as well.
The Daily Emerald opened professional doors for me, with an internship at the Eugene Weekly and an upcoming internship at the East Oregonian through the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence. But it showed me how much I love getting to know my community and talking with people about their stories and passions.
I am still uncertain what I want to do with my life. But I know that I love journalism, and I have that one piece of the puzzle now. Farewell UO and the Daily Emerald, thank you for showing me the direction to walk in.
