Well, we’ve come full circle.
The first piece I ever had published in the Alligator was a column I penned as a freshman. I vented about being accepted to UF as a “Spring admit,” which meant delaying the college experience until January while all of the other freshmen started in June or August. I outlined the struggles, like watching my friends start their college experience while stewing at home with mom and dad and missing out on football season.
I wasn’t thrilled to be a Gator. I felt shortchanged, denied the perfect start to the quintessential freshman-year experience.
But I enrolled anyway following the advice from staffers at the Miami Herald, where I interned in high school. Some of them were Gators, but referred to themselves as proud Alligator alumni. Their tenure at the Alligator eclipsed the time they spent in the classroom.
That column was published Jan. 27, 2012. And here we are: three years, 262 Alligator bylines, an Alligator managing print editor resume line and a B.S. in journalism later.
My title of columnist morphed into contributing writer, and after a few months of hustle I was brought on board as a staff writer. I covered Student Government and wrote mostly campus news for a year. I felt more rooted in UF’s culture through covering events and interviewing countless students than I ever did during Preview.
Being on staff absorbed my social and academic life. I was slammed with four, five, six story assignments a week, sometimes a few per day. I never hesitated to skip class when duty called. I attended Alligator staff parties that allowed us to bond outside work.
More importantly, I had a sense of belonging. I had found my friend group, and soon this group of friends became more like a supportive family. My editors diligently worked with me, editing my stories one-on-one and pushing me to become a better journalist. They opened doors to a wealth of opportunities as well as a massive alumni network.
After an eight-month internship hiatus, I came back home to the Alligator as a managing editor for Fall 2014.
I say home because 1105 W. University Ave. was a place where I stress-ate Papa John’s pizza from down the block with my staff on every election day for the past three years. It’s where I used the editor’s couch to nap during the day because we stayed up until the wee hours reporting on whatever breaking-news fate decided to hurl at us. It’s where the staff got together and conspired to throw me a surprise party after accepting a job offer from the Tampa Bay Times — by far my favorite Alligator moment.
Technically my time with the Alligator ended last semester, but I didn’t have it in me to say goodbye just then. I still felt very much connected to the newsroom and all its drama.
So, here it goes.
Thank you for welcoming me into your family. Thank you for providing a haven to share my passion for quality journalism. Thank you for the laughter and the tears.
Thank you for making my three years at UF absolutely worth it.
Colleen Wright is a graduating UF journalism senior. She is a former managing print editor of the Alligator.
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 4/22/2015]
