I wrote my first opinion piece for the Guardian during my freshman year, and I’ll never forget reading that first hate comment (shoutout Joe). But, reflecting back on all of the work I’ve done, especially in this last year, I think I did well for a “godless soul with no moral compass” — the nicer portion of Joe’s thoughts of me, sans expletives. 

I joined the opinion section to find a community during the COVID-19 era of dorm isolation and Zoom classes. As a neuroscience major, I never expected to move up in The Guardian’s hierarchy and serve as an editor, but I have no regrets about the time and care I’ve dedicated over these past years that led me here. I met brilliant, articulate, and thoughtful people and I’ve watched them grow as writers and individuals. For this year, it was a great (albeit stressful) privilege to work alongside a talented and creative editing team, and it’s an opportunity that I will not forget. It pushed my skills as a writer to a new level and, most importantly, it pushed me as an individual.

To all the current and prospective opinion writers, I hope that The Guardian helps you grow and find a community as much as it helped me. Good luck out there, and don’t let the Joe’s get you down.