Position(s): Managing Arts Editor (Fall 2023), Film Senior Arts Editor (Fall 2022, Winter 2023) Daily Arts Writer (2021-2022)
Section(s): Arts
Semesters at The Daily: 5
It made a lot of sense for me to join the Arts section — more sense than I thought it would. When I was a kid, I printed out my favorite New York Times book reviews and taped them to my walls. I loved criticism before I knew the word for it.
Then I spent my first year of college wondering if I wanted to write at all. All of my interests had faded, including this part of myself I thought I could count on. Applying for Arts was a final test of whether I could get it back.
I got to my first Arts meeting 10 minutes early. The first person I met was Elise Godfryd, who I will always see as my MAE. She asked if I liked the decorations on the window and bulletin board next to the Arts desk; I assured her they were lovely.
I had no plans to be an editor when I joined The Michigan Daily. I didn’t have the charisma and enigma and confidence that my editors all had. Then that fall, Elise told me I reminded her of herself. It was the first time I thought I could be one of those people too. It is exhilarating and terrifying when someone recognizes something in you that you have never seen.
I have to thank the Arts community for being patient with me. I hardly spoke for my first year there. But the film writers seemed happy to have me at bonding events asking if they had any blankets because I was always cold.
Elise believed in me unconditionally for no discernible reason, and even if I never seem worthy of reminding myself of her, I have become a more capable, caring editor in an effort to be what she saw in me.
Kari Anderson made me feel welcomed on the Film beat. She told me it was fine that I had never seen a Tarantino film.
Sabriya Imami and Lilly Pearce are what I wanted to be as an MAE. I wanted Sabriya’s ability to answer seemingly any question. I wanted Lilly’s ability to bring Arts together — she’s possibly the only person who could convince me to play softball. I miss wandering Ann Arbor with her and watching her react to “Fleabag” across the Arts desk.
Mitchel Green kept me up to date on everything film-related; I can almost forgive him for spamming my Letterboxd feed by adding hundreds of films to his watch list. Zach Loveall is the reason I survived the Sundance Film Festival and is the future of Arts.
Meera Kumar is one of the rare people to whom I find I never run out of things to say. I ran a quarter marathon and went to a gala because of Lizzie Yoon. I have seen “Twilight: New Moon” because of Emilia Ferrante and didn’t get blisters at last year’s Daily formal because she let me borrow her shoes to walk home.
I remain afraid to argue with Jacob Lusk about anything including film, because I know he is probably right. I think of the comments he left on my work when I edit as a reminder to push writers to think more critically. More than anyone else, Katrina Stebbins made the Film beat a group of people who loved each other and wanted to spend time together. I am so thankful that Katrina didn’t give up on me while I was terribly quiet and shy, because when I did want to open up and befriend the other writers, she was there and happy to talk, and she was the person I wanted to talk to.
Mik Deitz edited one Arts piece for me, and it remains one of the greatest editing experiences of my life. Mik, more than anyone, is who I wanted to be as an editor. She made me care more about my own work and did the nearly impossible task of making me excited to spend hours revising. I had forgotten that was possible. There is so much more I could say about how grateful I am to have met Mik, and the 1,000-word limit is not enough.
Sarah Rahman was one of the first editors who seemed to want to befriend me. We bonded over our love of tea times and gossip, and after she graduated, nothing felt the same. Sarah is one of the most understanding, out-of-pocket, creative people I have ever met. It was an honor to edit with her and worry with her about running into our film professor at Target.
And Laine. I was sure when I joined Arts that I would never be friends with Laine Brotherton. Some people are simply too cool to give me a passing glance. The fact that we became co-editors and close friends still astounds me. There is no one I would rather be MAE with. Before I knew her, Laine was one of the writers whose work I always read. I wanted to be as eloquent and funny as she was, and I still endlessly admire her. Laine is the person who will watch all the Bridget Jones movies with me, invite me to her house when my Winter Break plans change, decide we should bake bread together or do jumping jacks at 2 a.m. to stay awake through a “Titanic” and “Elvis” double feature. I will fight to keep the Cillian Murphy screensaver on the Arts desk computer in her honor.
Daily Arts is many things to me: I found some of my best friends in college here. I learned how much I love editing the work of those who are passionate and brilliant and whose ideas make me excited about my own. Meeting these people also reminded me that I wanted to write. This is where I got back my own identity as a writer.
I’m not leaving yet, so I won’t say goodbye. But thank you.