Graphic by Bell Jackson 
Dear readers,
Whenever people learn that I’m the editor in chief of the newspaper here at UM, I’m usually met with a statement about how impressive this is.
Though it may be impressive to others, it’s just a testament of how hard the staff works. This paper wouldn’t happen without them.
For the last several issues, I haven’t been pulling my weight enough and I recognize that. I’m working to do better and be more collaborative with my team, but I have to give credit where credit is due.
My managing editors have worked harder than I can even describe to put together a paper worth picking up, and while I may have signed off on the decisions that had to be made, they were the ones who did the heavy lifting.
I was going through a really hard time mentally, and they totally covered for me, no questions asked. They welcomed me back and are genuinely glad to see me doing better. I am so grateful to be able to call these two my friends.
But it wasn’t just them that have worked tirelessly; the newest writers we’ve had join us, mostly freshman, have done incredible work in the time they’ve been a part of The Alabamian, and I am so excited to see where they go.
I hit the ground so hard when I got to college; I did more than I could handle between class and work and on campus involvement. I thought that being busy was the solution to finding myself, but truthfully, all I did was burn out. It was when I started putting effort into the things I loved and cared about that my work started to pay off.
Before I even got to college, I knew that I wanted to join the paper. I knew I wanted more experience in my field, but it turned into so much more than that.
College has been such a period of growth for me; I’ve made great decisions, and some really poor ones too, some risky ones, and I’m lucky that it turned out the way my life has.
I have to credit to what this luck is: the people who support me. My professors, my peers, my family, my coworkers, my friends, constantly push me to be a better person and do better every day.
I used to think that I’ve sacrificed a lot for my job, but talking to others made me realize that I’m not the only one.
This is a job that mostly goes unnoticed; the people who pick up our paper don’t realize how hard we all work.
We give up sleep, we travel, we write an article with 40 minutes to spare, we go out of our way to do what needs to be done and we are constantly stepping outside of our comfort zone.
I’ve lost quite a bit of sleep over my job, but what I’ve gotten in return was worth the exchange.
I’ve made some of my best friends on the paper, and I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished in just a few months.
Almost all of us are new to our role in some way or another. It’s all a learning process, but we’re learning together.
This issue in particular is a favorite of mine. We cover the political debates, the newest of music, the best of the spooky season and even a review about “Devil All the Time,” a movie that was partially filmed right here in town.
So, I invite you all to partake in this one. It has a lot to offer in its pages. We only have a few issues left to print this semester, and I hope they continue to inform and entertain you as the last ones have.
Sincerely,
Zoe Hall, editor in-chief
Ariel Hall is a writer for The Alabamian. She is a senior communication studies major and enjoys reading and photography in her free time. Previously, Zoe has acted as editor in chief, lifestyles editor and advice columnist.
