Dear Year One readers (and for that matter, anyone else who has unfortunately caught a glimpse of my sorry looking blog),
I’m still alive, I assure you.  My first month as a college freshman has flown by surprisingly fast.  There are times when I walk around campus or sit in a lecture hall, still in awe at the fact that I am a college student.  Where does time go?
First milestone of the year: surviving midterms.
First failure of the year: not my midterms, but the fact that this is my second article.
I think it goes without saying, but I am willing to damage my dignity and say it anyway: I’ve been a horrendous blogger, and it’s just straight up embarrassing.
Last summer, I learned about several open blog positions on the Opinion Staff.  Excited by the prospect of working on a college newspaper, I wasted no time sending my application.  I felt I had the upper hand because I already knew Tyree Harris, the Opinion Editor.  I met him one year ago while participating in the Oregonian’s Journalism Institute for Minority High School students.  He was already familiar with my writing and understood my work ethic and love for journalism.  Not to mention, we bonded over late night games of Tetris Attack with other institute members, which is certainly a bonus.  Why wouldn’t he hire me?  I’m freakin’ amazing.  Sure enough, I did have the upper hand.  Had it been more difficult for me to get a position, I may not have taken it for granted.
It is rare to see freshmen students on a college newspaper staff.  It’s almost as if money just magically fell into my lap, and I never had to lift a finger.  I have such a unique opportunity, but the lonely article on my blog page speaks for itself.
I haven’t been entirely lazy, I swear!  I wish I had a better excuse to justify the lack of articles.  I wish I could say that I was abducted by aliens and held captive for the last few weeks, but all I have is this:  I underestimated how challenging the responsibility of blogging would be on top of schoolwork.  I’ve been lacking the focus necessary to balance schoolwork, my journalism career, and my social life.
My professors have been merciless: I’ve had four essays, numerous assignments, and countless exams over the course of last week.  I don’t mean to complain—in fact I hate complaining—but can’t a kid get a break?  I can’t help it if getting whammies sounds more appealing than writing an essay.
Thankfully, things can’t get much worse than this.  My blog was handed to me on a silver platter, and I’ll prove that I deserve it.
Now, this article—and the millions of groundbreaking articles that will follow—will help fill the sad, empty void that is currently Year One.
Sincerely,
Luisa Anderson