When I received my undergraduate degrees from NC State in 2023, I wrote a goodbye letter to Technician. I apologized to the section leads at the time, Justin Welch and Skye Crawford, for not telling them I was graduating. Ironically enough, Justin was a managing editor and Skye the opinion editor when I surprised everyone, myself included, by coming back to the paper after starting graduate school in 2024. A year later, Skye became our editor-in-chief and I the opinion editor.
It has been a privilege running, in my completely biased opinion, the best section at our paper over the past year.
My final opinion for Technician — really, this time — is that the world should hear yours.
If you’ve had a class with me since I’ve been opinion editor, I likely tried to recruit you to my section. While we do offer guidance to our community, opinion is also crammed full with snarky, argumentative people who have a long list of issues with everything from our eating habits to how the government is run.
Despite our judgmental reputation, I actually don’t have many complaints about any of my writers, aside from their reluctance to get interviews.
As punishment, they’ll hear me repeat the structure of an op-ed one last time.
What is the issue?
Why should anyone care?
Why are you the right person to speak on it?
Finally — and most importantly — what now?
Journalists are professional gossips, it’s part of the job. But we spent the past year turning what could have been dismissed as petty complaints into clear, actionable solutions. We shared our voices, impacted our community, and told messages people didn’t realize they needed to hear.
My articles included lessons I’ve been learning about the world while slipping in conversations from my loved ones, hoping their words would resonate with others the way they did with me.
Sharing that trauma will not break you. That your community is more important than any grade or company might imply. That we have a responsibility to improve our education and research.
That people matter.
This mindset is so much bigger than a campus paper. Our writers are tackling issues, no matter how controversial, and making them accessible to those around us. We are listening to those in our community and driving change.
I could not be more impressed by every writer who came in our door and wrote with our section. Opinion is intimidating. You have to do everything I mentioned, then put your name behind it. You stand behind the stances you take, knowing others may disagree.
But it is absolutely a risk worth taking, and one more of us should be willing to.
And once you do, you’ll have an opportunity to connect with incredible people who also understand the power Student Media can have.
Our Editorial Advisor, Ben, took up the position after I started writing with Technician. He has been here to challenge me from the start, absolutely tearing me a new one for the second story I published. Even after I became editor, when I would discuss new ideas for managing the section, he always said, “That’s what a good editor should do.” You pushed me to constantly evolve as a writer and as a leader. I expect you to keep that same pressure on Vol. 107.
And no farewell could be complete without addressing the Vol. 106 Editorial Board, to whom I dedicate the rest of this letter. From peeling an avocado at retreat and adding quotes of shame to the board, I have been disturbing your peace from the beginning. I apologize for any second-hand trauma inflicted by oversharing about entirely unique experiences unavoidable for me on a daily basis.
I don’t do groups very well, as you all surely know, considering I spoke to half the office through Olivia for most of the year. And was the first to leave most non-work events. And would sometimes sit in the corner looking mad for no reason.
But I care about each of you.
Olivia and her copy editors infiltrated my unassigned-assigned section of the office every week with iconic conversations. Kelsey, my fellow biologist, I hope you can dance everywhere you go. Hector, your impressive ability to tell it straight-up is rivaled only by our incoming editor-in-chief, Jakob.
Matthew has been my science buddy for a few years now, and I will play Fortnite with you and Jackson soon. It’s a shame I won’t be able to emote in the office for you anymore. Ally, you are the only person who has made me cry laughing at work multiple times. I’m sorry I’m so bad at Convergence.
I’ve only known Amaya and Antanina for a brief time, but my goodness, senior leadership finds good people. Your brands of humor are iconic. Rachel, I have been embarrassing myself since we met, and I doubt that will stop anytime soon, but I’ve got endless ideas to exchange for finally learning about your special interests.
Daniel’s passion for the crossword lives rent free in my mind. He is one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. Brennan sat in for, even if only briefly, two opinion meetings — and was the only one on eboard who did. The consequence of Connor figuring out how my brain worked early on was getting targeted by my most unhinged stories. You don’t get to escape just because you’re graduating, buddy.
Rory, whose section provided the most iconic graphics of all time, suffered the consequences of hearing this additional targeted lore each week while sitting next to me. I only hope they brought you amusement. That goes for you too, Alex. I’ll miss doomscrolling way too late in the office before classes held way too early the next morning.
Ray, my twin, don’t think for a second I would forget to say hi to you.
And Skye and Nicole, I’ll see you soon.
