I applied for EMU knowing that I wanted to be a Writing and Peacebuilding double major. I showed up to Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) expecting to only take general education classes for at least the first year, probably the first two. The actual writing and peacebuilding would come later in my academic career.
I stood among a crowd of fellow upcoming first-years in a part of the Campus Center that I had yet to become familiar with as we were waiting to make our schedules. The tension in the room was obvious and fluctuating. Some students seemed comfortable, perhaps the siblings and family members of current students and alumni. Others, like me, were talking less, seemingly in a completely new environment. There was a mix of excitement and anxiety among us. We were the class of 2023, and our college careers were about to begin.
Language and Literature Professor Chad Gusler was the advisor assigned to help me pick classes for the first semester. I don’t remember much from our interaction except that I was super nervous. I can recall telling him that I was bad at math and then agreeing to whatever classes he felt like I should take. This meant taking only one math class (one more than I wanted) amidst other various gen-ed courses, but it also meant doing a Weather Vane practicum.
After returning home to Mississippi, I was able to mentally process SOAR and prepare for the upcoming year. Many of my classes sounded nice, some sounded less nice, but I was thrilled to work for the student newspaper.
I was, admittedly, less excited about the time of the “class”: Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. I wasn’t looking forward to having an evening class and missing supper with my friends, but the fall semester of 2019 greeted me with new Weather Vane friends and Papa John’s pizza every Wednesday night during production.
The Weather Vane looks different now than it did during my first semester. We still meet at 5:30, but it’s on Zoom. COVID-19 has also taken away our production night pizza. In time and health, we hope that specific perk returns.
After my first semester, I took a break from working for The Weather Vane to make time for higher priority classes. I remained a reader and didn’t think about working again until applications for the spring 2021 editors were sent out. As an EMU student, I wanted the chance to be part of the student body’s voice again.
Being on The Weather Vane had not only honed my news writing skills but also encouraged (politely pushed) me to attend more EMU events. Aside from Tyler’s emails about CAC events, working for The Weather Vane may be the best way to hear about and get to EMU happenings on and off-campus. Finally, as a writing major, I knew that editing or working for the paper in any capacity would benefit my resume and future job prospects.
Even without pizza, I have found working for The Weather Vane to be a fulfilling and worthwhile experience. We are currently in need of writers, and I would encourage any Writing or English major (or any other major!) to reach out if you’re looking for a new hobby or job that will expand your horizons.
