Being an editor-in-chief was not as glamorous as television makes it seem. But then again, is anything?Â
I traded pantsuits and pencil skirts for pjs. Being a powerful figure at the front of the classroom became the blurry host of a Zoom call. Meetings where editors could pass stories around the table turned into google doc edits being sent through email chains. Every step of this magazine was overseen from my small laptop at my bedroom desk, which I turned into a makeshift office due to life being held online.
I have never met my faculty advisor in person or one of my managing editors, who calls nearly every day from Ukraine to give updates on story after story. Late nights at the College turned into long days staring at a computer screen until we could barely make out the words.
Online classes and the pandemic have taken mental and emotional tolls on everyone, but I think there is a beauty and skill involved in producing this huge project online. It took more coordination, communication and patience than I ever expected.
We persevered and produced stories spanning the world. Stories transcending time zones. Stories showing an in-depth glimpse of people’s lives both during the pandemic and outside of it. I hope we can one day all be in a classroom together again to share these stories in-person.
But until then, I’ll host a Zoom call to celebrate.
Erin LeBlanc
Editor-In-Chief
Scribe 2021
