I ended up exactly where I needed to be – with you guys

It’s been almost three years since I joined The Miami Student. When I walked into the newsroom for the first time, I was a scared sophomore with only a few journalism classes under my belt and no idea what working in a newsroom was like.

I didn’t make much of a splash. I sat quietly in the back of the room, stumbling over my words when I tried to speak, wondering how I could ever be like the people who sat on the other side of that editor's table.

Before I was an assistant campus and community (C&C) editor or C&C editor, I had mentors I looked up to. Lexi Whitehead, Alice Momany and Reagan Rude, three smart and strong women who have since graduated, all sat in the same seat I’ve sat in for the last year.

I wanted so badly to be like them, and even more, I wanted to do better than them. I wanted to be the one running things.

Chloe McKinney, editor-in-chief (EIC). I could see the byline as clear as day.

Life had other plans for me.

Tuition and medical bills stacked up in my inbox. I worked 20 hours a week for $14 an hour as a barista, saving nearly every spare penny. Once everything was paid off, if I was lucky, I would have around $60 left to my name until the next check came two weeks later.

I took stories sporadically when the stress I was carrying felt a little less heavy. It wasn’t what I wanted, but most days, I hardly had the energy to get out of bed, let alone write stories.

I was falling behind my peers.

Eventually, in January 2023, I became an assistant C&C editor. I remember our C&C editor at the time, Sean Scott, asked if I was ready for the responsibility.

I wasn’t.

I struggled and watched as my friends were promoted to higher positions, and I stayed behind.

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I knew I needed to step up. I had ambitions, too.

I thought my day would never come until Taylor Stumbaugh took a chance on me. She asked if I would help her run C&C in the spring of my junior year, and I was beyond thrilled.

Because of her, I had the opportunity to grow not only in our section but as a person.

For the last year, Taylor has been by my side, answering all my frantically whispered questions, saving me from embarrassment. Laughing, joking, stressing, worrying and picking up each other's slack, we did it all together. I could not be more grateful to her for being my first friend in TMS.

Stella Powers, Austin Smith and Anna Reier, our original girl-boss line up (sorry, Austin). Stella, thanks for talking my ear off every production about whatever was on your mind. Austin, thank you for always asking how I’m doing and giving me a hard time. Anna, thank you for your positive attitude and forcing the room to do yoga every production.

Although you are all moving to different positions in TMS, don’t forget each other. Keep talking, keep laughing and joking; it’s your chance to shine and make TMS a better community.

Kasey Turman (hey, I spelled your name right this time), thanks for bringing the fun back to TMS. All the parties and the production night icebreakers really brought us together. You made TMS feel less like work and more like home.

Livi Patel, Ms. future EIC, I don’t have any more fun lore to drop on you but I do have all my best wishes to give you. You are going to be an amazing EIC. Take it seriously, be grateful for the opportunity, but don’t forget to have fun.

Shannon Mahoney and Parker Green, our new assistants, you both have shown so much promise already. Never doubt that the work you are doing is meaningful. You are both so strong and smart and I’m proud of how far you have come. I expect great things from you both.

Sarah Frosch, why have we only just discovered our friendship? If I could do it all over again, you and I would’ve become besties long ago. Keep it up man, you are the photography queen.

Teddy Johnson, our humor editor, you’ve been the life of the party. You don’t know it but you helped me feel like less of an outsider at TMS. Man, like you always say, we’ve gotten old, but now that we’ve passed the torch, we have a lot more adventures to look forward to.

Sam Norton, you didn’t think I forgot about you, did you? Thanks for being my friend. I could always count on you to throw some rad parties, too. Just like you could count on me to show up with the ciggies. Good luck with whatever you do after graduation.

And for everyone else in TMS, who us graduating seniors leave the newsroom behind to, I wish you good luck, too. These are the best years of your life. I hope you cherish them like I know I always will.

mckinn15@miamioh.edu