Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Commencement 2025 that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices.
When graduating senior Nate Hall first stepped onto Tufts campus, he had no prior experience in journalism — his high school did not have a paper, and he did not expect to join the Daily. Instead, he was all in on doing theater. However, Hall’s friend, graduating senior and Daily staff writer, Sam Dieringer, first encouraged him to attend DailyCon in the spring of 2022.
After being roped in, Hall was set on being a copy editor. However, through reading and editing the articles of his peers, his interest in writing began to grow, and that same semester, Hall joined the Arts section and began writing reviews.
Hall had no intention of moving up to the managing board, despite his mom telling him, “‘Senior year, you’re going to be editor-in-chief.’” Contrary to his initial belief, Hall is now the managing editor of the Daily, and he credits his journey to the community he built there. Notably, Hall mentions fellow graduating senior Odessa Gaines, the spring 2025 executive arts editor, as his first “Daily friend” and the reason why he kept writing, as the two were both editors for the Arts section and deck stage managers for Torn Ticket II’s production of “Into the Woods.” The two learned about the not-so-secret Arts section perk of getting free tickets to Boston theater productions and eventually started co-writing reviews together, which they continued to do for several years.
Moving up the Daily’s ladder, Hall became a deputy arts editor in his junior fall. Despite initially feeling uncertain about his capabilities in this higher position, Hall grew to love the role and the satisfaction from reading other writers’ work.
Then, during his junior spring, Hall became the executive arts editor, joining the executive board for the first time. Hall acknowledged that his track was different, as most editors become executives earlier, but he attributes it to the beauty of the Daily’s leadership system: “I think everyone’s kind of got a different path at the Daily, and that was my path.”
After a semester on the executive board, Hall continued his path by joining the managing board. He credits his journey to rising senior Julieta Grané, editor-in-chief during the fall 2024 semester, and his fellow executives for pushing him to keep going further.
“I’m so glad I [joined the managing board.] … It’s a lot of work; it’s a lot of time in the office,” Hall said. “But it’s really rewarding to get to see the paper come out every week and say, ‘I read all of those articles.’”
Outside of the Daily, Hall is involved with theater at Tufts, having performed in “Mamma Mia” and “Eurydice,” deck stage-managed “Into the Woods” and “HAIR” and participated in choir through the music department. Even though he has moved on from student theater, Hall loves to support his friends and knows that performing will always be part of his life.
As a managing editor, Hall still finds time to write for the Arts section. This semester, Hall also started a new column, “Center Stage,” and expanded the Daily’s Fun & Games section.
Hall, who had aimed to write a column throughout his Daily career, knew that there was one topic he would want to hone in on: sharing student performance groups’ stories with the community. As he leaves, Hall hopes other writers will continue to highlight these groups. “That is what the Daily is for, it is something that no other newspaper can provide,” Hall said.
Beyond his column, Hall’s all-time favorite Arts section highlight has been writing the Daily's now highly anticipated yearly Oscar predictions articles.
For Hall, it's the people that make the ‘Dailmunity’ special. “People really look out for each other, and they really pay attention to the work that you’re doing,” he said. Hall has paid this forward by reaching out to writers when he enjoys an article, as he knows the difference this simple compliment can make.
“Little things [like] that remind us that we’re working really hard, but at the end of the day, we’re students,” he said. Playing Just Dance, battling in Bananagrams and drawing in the office are some of the moments that make the late-night production sessions so entertaining for him.
“Just be open to new experiences and new opportunities,” Hall said as his message to new writers. “Don’t box yourself in, because you might not think that you’re right for something, but you won’t know if you are unless you try.”
Ultimately, Hall is glad to have found his place at the Daily.
“It’s been such a rewarding experience in so many ways,” Hall said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself.”
After seven semesters, countless hours in the office and a combined 110 crosswords, articles and editorials, it is difficult to sum up Hall’s insurmountable accomplishments at the Daily.
To Nate — thank you for everything, your contributions big and small. The Daily will surely miss you.
