Two years ago, I walked into the office of the Alligator on West University Avenue to take the copy-editing test. The copy desk chief at the time sat me in a small wood-paneled office that held rows of shelves lined with tall black books: about half of the archives of a student paper that’s been around for 110 years. Thankfully, I passed that test.
Thinking about how many people have given their sleep and sanity to this paper — more than a century’s worth of students just like me who have gone on to make waves in the ever-changing world of news — is both empowering and intimidating. But above all, it reminds me that being part of the Alligator is the best decision I have made at UF.
From Homecoming parades and Newspaper Fridays to Leo’s runs and seemingly never-ending potlucks, the Alligator has provided the setting and the characters for some of my favorite memories of college.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s not all been rainbows and sunshine. There was election night, of course, and readjusting from the move to Southwest 13th Street from University Avenue. And on top of the daily stresses of the paper, I have also had personal challenges to face.
This summer, my mother died suddenly. As you can imagine, it’s not been easy to keep on keepin’ on. I can never express how much the Alligator — not so much the paper itself as the people who surround me with love and positivity every night — helped me get through this first semester without my mom. It might never get easier for me, but I know even after this semester and still after graduation I will have my Alligator family to lean on. To my staff, I love you all dearly, and you don’t know how much each of you has impacted my life.
And to you, “dear readers,” as you are so aptly referred to as, thank you. I know it may seem like all that’s out there is bias and click-bait, but I promise you, good journalism still exists. It’s up to you to seek it out, and it’s up to all of us to fight for its continuance. Being a journalist is not only more difficult than ever, but it is also more important than ever. We so appreciate each one of you for believing in what we do and for actively wanting to be informed about your community and your world.
Nobody can predict the changes that will come for the next 110 years of news. But come what may, I guarantee you will be able to find a dedicated group of student journalists in Gainesville, Florida, living on coffee and chocolate, hounding sources, covering breaking news at all hours and upholding the reputation of our newspaper to bring you truth.
We are all part of something bigger than ourselves. And I’m so grateful my something bigger has been the Alligator.
Melissa Smith is a UF journalism senior. She is the current print managing editor of the Alligator.
