Feeling of triumph

I just finished sending my first issue of the paper for this semester -- all with a staff of about eight or so. It was an incredibly interesting experience.

As managing editor, I'm in charge of the front page design and all other page design in the newspaper. I thought it would be a daunting task, and to an extent it was, but if you learn something as a journalist it's that deadlines are king -- when it becomes deadline whatever you have is good enough. That's a plus when you have 24 pages, four days to finish them and eight staffers to do it all- including yourself.

Designing the front page was a bit nerve-wracking, but with a little help from the newspaper adviser and the fact that I got tired of it, I sent it off without too much fuss. Everyone I talked to who had been managing editor before said you got used to it after a couple of issues, but I'm used to it now, I guess.

I wasn't stressed very much over anything, in fact. Even at the very end I wasn't pulling my hair as much as I thought I would. We got the paper sent by 5:41 p.m., which is the earliest it's ever been sent since our newspaper has gone to tabloid format. I'm still feeling pretty good about that five hours later.

So, what does that mean? Am I far too laid back for my own good? Do I need to stress a little more? Or should I just keep taking life and the paper with a cool, calm composure?

For now, I think I'll stick with calm. Worrying has never gotten much of anything done, in my experience.