Position(s): Senior Arts Editor (Fall 2023), Music Beat Editor (Fall 2022), Arts Writer (2020-2022)
Section(s): Arts
Semesters at The Daily: 7
It’s difficult for me to separate my time at the University of Michigan from my time at The Michigan Daily. Joining Daily Arts was one of the first decisions I made as a newly minted, independent college student the fall of my freshman year. I did it on a bit of a whim, wrote a notebook about the Grammys being overrated in my application (kind of a derivative take but I will go easy on my 18-year-old self) and remember feeling excited and a bit nervous when I received my acceptance email. My first interactions with the section would be relegated to Zoom calls once a week, and I wasn’t sure how this could possibly be conducive to connecting with others on the section in a meaningful way.
Untethered to the physical space of the newsroom and without any tangible relationships with Arts writers to speak of, the first semester sometimes felt like I was submitting articles into the abyss. Yet despite all odds, Daily Arts meetings slowly became a small dosage of community in an otherwise isolating time.
I distinctly remember the first time this feeling of detachment began to thaw. Former Managing Arts Editor Julianna Morano texted me an article about Fiona Apple a few days after I wrote for my first B-Side, a piece defending Fiona’s controversial 1997 Video Music Awards acceptance speech. It was a small gesture that meant a lot to me, and I was suddenly struck with the fact that my mom was not the only person reading or paying attention to my articles. The next semester, still exiled to Zoom, I remember the warmth and enthusiasm of MAEs Elise Godfryd and Zoe Phillips (and their love of Zoom emoji reactions) helping to break the ice.
As semesters followed and I was finally able to experience the buzz of 420 Maynard St. in person, this feeling of affection for Daily Arts only grew. I began to get to know the Arts community firsthand, to casually chat about an album we loved or our weekend plans and soak up the camaraderie the section was and still is so good at cultivating. I started to take myself more seriously as a writer and an editor and to dig into the art I cared about more deeply. But this growth wouldn’t have been possible without the incredibly passionate and creative individuals around me (special shoutout to Fia and Emilia, I miss you very much).
I want to thank Claire for being a joy to lead the Music beat with. I have learned so much from your thoughtful and welcoming leadership, and your dedication to helping writers grow in their craft has been beautiful to watch. I love that we can be silly together and do things like place the music writers in a “Dance Moms”-style pyramid and debrief bird class with a deep sense of understanding. You add so much levity to the most stressful parts of the job. I forgive you for biking on the sidewalk and will miss sharing the couch with you every Sunday.
To Laine and Erin, you have been fearless leaders and advocates for Arts, and the section has flourished as a supportive and energetic community under your leadership. Sunday and Tuesday nights are bright spots in my week, and I always look forward to chatting about Czech New Wave films or playing all 16 minutes and 54 seconds of “Murder Most Foul” on production nights with you both.
To the Music peeps, I am so happy we have become friends and are no longer the first beat to disband at weekly meetings (yay!). I continue to be amazed by your breadth of musical knowledge, particularly in the realm of K-pop fandoms, Detroit underground rap and, for some inexplicable reason, AJR. Sometimes this breadth of knowledge flies straight over my head, but our discussions and debates always make me giggle. And thank you for waving to Claire and me when you leave; we like to feel appreciated!
There are many things I will miss about my time on The Daily. I will miss the comfort of the newsroom, filled with seemingly boundless numbers of Arts staffers on Sunday afternoons. I will miss having a place to gush over my latest musical obsessions (or maybe to clown on Drake every once in a while). I will miss Cillian Murphy’s piercing, omnipresent blue stare at the Arts desk. I will not miss editing out Oxford commas!
Despite all these things that I will miss dearly (besides the Oxford comma thing), The Daily has given me immeasurable creative opportunities, fond memories and friends that will stick around well after I have left the newsroom. The trajectory of my time in college would look a whole lot different and a whole lot less meaningful without this community.