When I started as the Features Editor in 2020, the world literally shut down after my amazing editor Lara told me I got the position. COVID hit right after I got the news, so my training was done through Zoom and few people were interested in writing a feature article. I took over with one writer, Justin Cho, who would alternate with me as we both wrote articles to keep the section going. It was really hard and I thought it was over for the Features sections. 

The Features section means the world to me, it changed the way I look at the world and blossomed my writing to the state it is now. I saw my editor Lara welcome writers of all backgrounds and take their writing to a new level and bring a level of professionalism to the section. Her motto was: to produce magazine style content, treat it like a professional magazine job. Attend meetings, plan out content in a timely manner, and hold people to a high standard for a high level of work. Lara’s vision for what features should be is what I tried my best to execute as editor. I wanted to make Features not be just the other section, but as respected and appreciated as News and Opinion. 

I’m glad I stuck with features and believed in the section because it is in a great place now. Oishee and Eunice are going to take the section forward together and I’m so excited for the direction they are headed in. Katherine, Justin, Miriya, Vivian, and Amanda, it was an honor to edit your work and watch you guys develop. I hope I was able to play some sort of role in your development. Thank you to Zara and Jahfreen and Daisy, you guys were so awesome as Editor in Chief. Your leadership made my job so much easier. Hemmy and Jack were so awesome to work with. Sophia and the copy team, you will always be legends for your polishing of some of my rough drafts. Thank you Lara for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself and pushing me to be the best editor and writer I can be. 

Finally, thank you to Alondra, my partner in crime. Without you, I wouldn’t be writing, editing, or even going to UC San Diego. You pushed me to keep writing and keep editing even when things looked grim. I love you. 

I love writing. It’s the most powerful form of expression and communication. Whether for The UCSD Guardian, a paper for school, or your personal journal, keep writing. Write for those you love, those you care about, and those who need you. The world needs writers, without them, the alphabet is pointless.