Letter from the editor

    For many of you, today marks the end of classes ... until next fall. But for the rest of the seniors and me, this is our *last* last day of school. And as surreal as that may seem, I'm actually getting more nostalgic about the end of my Daily career than I am about the semester coming to a close. I'll have the next three weeks to reflect on my undergraduate experience, but right now, as we prepare to print our final regular issue of the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the institution that has taught me more than any class ever could.
    I can remember all too clearly sitting in back of Robinson 253 in September 2010, waiting for the general interest meeting for the Tufts Daily to begin. An excited, wide-eyed freshman, I listened in awe as the then-editor-in-chief - a senior named Ben Gittleson - encouraged everyone to get involved in Tufts' one and only independent, student-run newspaper. To me, Ben was nothing short of a celebrity, and as he spoke, I remember for a split second thinking how cool it would be to one day have my name appear at the top of the Daily's masthead, too.
    So last year when I was offered this position, it seemed like my decision should have been obvious. But it wasn't. I was torn - after all, I was heading into the second semester of my senior year. Did I really want to sacrifice time with my friends and senior pub nights to sit in the basement of Curtis Hall almost every night until 2 a.m. and run the newspaper? Was it really worth it?
    Now, as we arrive at our 59th issue, I realize that the answer is a wholehearted, resounding "yes." Sure, I've had to make sacrifices, but I'm certainly not the only one. We have over 120 brilliant, dedicated students on staff - many of whom are taking full course loads and involved in additional extracurricular activities - who have devoted an incredible amount of time and effort to keep this paper going. Of course, even with all hands on deck, we still mess up. But this is the nature of the beast: We make mistakes, learn from them and then move forward. And despite our slip-ups, our team deserves some serious credit for all its hard work. It's a pretty remarkable feat to print a timely, well-written newspaper once a week, let alone each day, and it's our editors and contributors who make this all possible.
    Ironically, what I was most worried about when I started as editor-in-chief - feeling disconnected from the rest of Tufts during my last semester - was remedied by the Daily itself. I had assumed that spending so much time within one organization would prevent me from interacting with others. But, in fact, the Daily was a facilitator, opening doors to student groups and campus figures that I had previously had little exposure to. After reading recaps about our athletic teams I felt invested in their seasons; this winter alone, I attended more sports games than I have in my entire four years at Tufts. Interviewing the TCU presidential candidates for our editorial endorsement made me a more active, informed constituent, whereas in years past I may have abstained from voting entirely. Indeed, though it has consumed a majority of my life for the last four months, being a part of the Daily has actually allowed me to immerse myself more fully in the Tufts community.
    I hope that our publication has done the same for you. Whether you've simply skimmed the headlines on your way to the Sudoku (yes, I had to mention the Sudoku) or loyally read our paper from cover to cover, I hope you've learned something about your campus, your peers and your university. That is, after all, what we're here for: to keep you informed and to contribute to a larger dialogue at Tufts. And if you've learned just one new thing from any Daily article this semester, I consider our work a success.
    I know this letter may be a bit more personal than past sign-offs, but I'd like to close with one more sentimental shout out. To all our wonderful executive editors: You have been an absolute pleasure to work with this semester. To my amazing managing editors, Jamie Hoagland and Steph Haven: I couldn't imagine two better people to spend nearly every moment of my waking hours with. And to all of you: Thanks for reading. We couldn't have done it without you.

Sincerely,

Caroline Welch
Editor-in-Chief