Passing the Baton: Reflecting on my time at ZU News

This article was originally published in ZU News.

Unlike a lot of college students, I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I arrived at Azusa Pacific my freshman year. I had worked for my high school newspaper, Hoofprints, all four years and I was excited to demonstrate my skills for APU’s newspaper, The Clause. 

I met the editor-in-chief at the time, Regina Ender, and she gave me the opportunity to start writing as a freshman. I remember how shocked she was, as was the rest of the editorial staff, that I volunteered to take two stories my first week as a staff writer. 

No one took more than one story a week—for good reason. Stories take a lot of time and effort to write, and busy college students don’t have an abundance of either to spare for extra stories. Fortunately, I was a freshman without a job, so I was able to handle those stories and many more in the weeks that followed.

Although I was only a freshman, I made great friends with many upperclassmen in the journalism department. My sports editor, Brandon Rodriguez, showed me the ropes of covering collegiate sports. My news editor, Erika Hunt, showed me the details to look for when covering newsworthy events. My opinion editor, Sharon Lee, showed me how to integrate my opinions in a well-thought argument. And my lifestyle editor, Jamie Roebuck-Joseph, taught me what to include and not include in great reviews.

The Clause Staff in spring 2017. Photo courtesy of Nathan Foster.

After 16 stories and a lot of real world learning, I was hired on as the opinion editor during my second semester freshman year. Although op-eds were never my cup of tea, I tried to make the section as intriguing and informative as possible. I have a lot of fond memories from freshman year, including staying up until 3 a.m almost every Monday night to put the newspaper together, among other things.

I moved to serving as the news editor during my sophomore year and helped student media transition from four separate outlets to one convergent organization, ZU Media. The Clause became ZU News and we went from releasing stories days after an event happened to just hours after. Our office also thankfully moved from a tiny, sweltering room where Starbucks is now located on East Campus to the back of Darling. We grew in numbers and the quality of content we produced grew in turn.

Then I left for a semester in New York City, where I interned at Newsweek, and learned from professional journalists in the capital of journalism. It was an amazing experience and I returned to APU with lots of ideas for how to improve ZU News.

However, when I got back, many things had changed. We had moved into the new Convergent Media Center; our stories had garnered national attention in the fall; and the school was vastly different after all the handbook changes. Nonetheless, I was excited as I began my role as editor-in-chief, a position I had been dreaming of for years. 

It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year and a half since then, let alone four years since college began. I watched as many students took the ZU Media workshop for the first time and improved their writing tremendously in just months. We increased our output, story quality, and production pace dramatically. Then we did it again last fall and again this spring. 

Then COVID-19 struck and everything changed. We were sent home and I, along with countless other seniors, saw our dream ending of our collegiate career disappear. While it was an abrupt transition, my staff and all the students in the workshop picked up right where we left off. It’s a bummer constantly reporting bad news about the coronavirus, but I am extremely proud of all my writers and how they responded to the situation.

This is not the ending I anticipated, not at all. However, I am eternally grateful for all the memories from my time at ZU News. I’ve written more than 100 stories, interviewed hundreds of students and faculty, made many lifelong friends, and helped create a brand that will keep growing long after I’m gone. 

The newspaper is quite different than when I first started writing for it four years ago, as is APU itself. I’ve watched as countless friends graduated and moved on into the real world. Now, it’s my time to do the same. 

Before I go, there are some people I’d like to thank.

First, Kent Walls, assistant professor of journalism and lead advisor of integrated student media, thank you for inspiring me to pursue my dreams and for pushing me out of my comfort zone in Digital News Gathering. You gave me the opportunity to work for ZU News and have set a fantastic example to follow. Thank you for being the best role model I could ask for.

Second, Regina Ender, Sharon Lee and Jamie Roebuck-Joseph, thank you for showing me what a great editor-in-chief looks like. I owe so much of my growth and editing skills to you. The Clause/ZU News was your baby before it was mine and I tried to take good care of it before passing it along to the incoming EIC. 

Third, Brandon Rodriguez, thank you for demonstrating an unparalleled work ethic and dedication to your job. I would not be the sports journalist I am today without learning from you. I worked three jobs and more than 50 hours a week for most of the past year and I still think I slept more than you. 

Fourth, Jessica Sherer, Ismael Medel, Allison Oster, Courtney Davis and my other journalism/PR faculty, I learned so much in all of your classes. I was never a great student in high school because most of the subjects didn’t interest me, but I loved going to all of your classes and I know I’ll continue to use what I’ve learned from you in my career.

Finally, to my staff, thank you all. I could not have done it without your help. You guys don’t make my job easy all the time, but you make it a lot more enjoyable. Anna Savchenko, you are the best writer I know and I love how much you care about helping your writers improve. APU is lucky to have you for another year. Brenda Covarrubias, you’re the only person I’ve met at APU who writes as much as me. I definitely thought you were going to break my record of the most stories—and I would have been proud if you did. You’ve done so much for ZU News in the past two years alone. I wish you would have been on staff earlier. Jasmine Campos, you write killer op-eds. You never cease to amaze me with your political opinions and your ability to defend them. You’re going to be a great EIC someday. Brendan Fretwell and Jordan Green, you guys literally anchored the sports section for over a year. I always had fun talking sports with you and I’m excited to keep up with your stories. Ruby McAuliffe, you were a fantastic copy editor, and I know you’re going to be an even better EIC. Just don’t play too much Taylor on production nights. Joelene Milan, I’m glad that you told me about your interest in being an editor that one day at Mexicali, we were lucky to have you. Charissa Enns, you brightened every one’s day with your smile and personality. I’m so happy you got to go to New York too. 

I’m excited to keep up with ZU News stories in the future. I know it’s in good hands.

That's debatable: Getting dressed is still necessary

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

Perhaps the most insidious element of COVID-19 is the effect it has on our productivity. As we work from home (WFH), it can be tempting to stay in our pajamas all day, but this is much worse for you than it seems.

During the first couple of weeks back home, I slept in until nine or ten pretty much every day. Since I don’t have in person classes anymore, I figured there’s no reason to get ready early. 

This resulted in me getting good sleep, but not being nearly as productive. I fell behind on assignments and had to stay up late to finish them on time. Then I would sleep in again because I was up so late. In mere days, I had transformed my habits for the worse and my productivity was paying for it.

Let’s face it — while we are not in school, we are not out of school. This means that we still have work to do. We can’t throw in the towel just yet. 

That’s when I rediscovered the importance of routine. 

Waking up to your first alarm, making your bed, brushing your teeth, showering, drinking a cup of coffee and the other basic parts of your morning routine are all essential to productive days. Getting dressed is just as important as all the other parts.

According to a New York Times article, vesting up in professional attire is a form of control, especially when everything else is so out of control. 

“The traditional suit … was a form of protective gear, a means for demarcating boundaries between public and private, work and leisure, the exigencies of the corporate world and the intimate needs of one’s family life,” Guy Trebay said in the article.

Cards on the table, I haven’t been putting on a traditional suit each day to go to online classes. I’m not a businessman. I’m a college student. I’ve been getting dressed each day in outfits I would normally wear to school (well warmer versions of them since it’s far colder in Reno, Nev. than Azusa) — flannels, sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, chinos, etc. 

While this might not seem much nicer than sweats and oversized comfy shirts, it is noticeably different. That’s the key, according to Mason Donovan in a Fast Company article.

“When I change into casual clothes, it’s a physical and visual distinction, and it helps me set boundaries … Otherwise you could feel like work never ends. Your personal life could take over work time or your work commitments can take over personal time. Clothing helps create a distinct separation,” Donovan said.

Part of a good routine is a good work-life balance. Since I can’t go to the library or a coffee shop like I usually would to study, I needed to figure out a different way to separate work and relaxation. Getting dressed in real clothes is the perfect method.

Once you’re dressed, you can begin your work day. Then when you’re done working, you can change back into your sweats and unwind. It’s that simple.

But if you want to make it more complicated, you can look at all the other benefits of getting dressed.

According to a GQ article, getting dressed can improve your mood and restore a sense of normalcy. As the world reels in the aftermath of the coronavirus, we could all use some normalcy.

Staying in your pajamas keeps you stuck in a rut, while getting dressed sets the mood for a new day, according to a Refinery 29 article. 

Finally, one of the silver linings of not seeing anyone is that no one has to see you. Since no one sees what you wear, you can try new outfits that you wouldn’t normally wear out of the house. Put on some skinny black jeans with a Hawiaan button down or plaid dress pants with a striped shirt. No one will judge you because they can’t see you (family excluded). Maybe you’ll find a killer combo that you wouldn’t have otherwise discovered and now you have it in your arsenal of fire fits.

I know it’s easier to stay in your smelly pajamas all day, but doing the right thing isn’t always easy. Get dressed and watch as your mood and productivity improves. We’ve only got three weeks left. End the semester strong. 

That's Debatable: Celebrities and Politics

This article was originally published in ZU News.

Over the past few years, award shows have undergone drastic structural changes. The Oscars no longer have a host. The Golden Globes dinner is now entirely plant based. However, no change has been bigger than the shift of award acceptance speeches from simple monologues of gratitude to political tirades.

Perhaps the first big instance of this was Leonardo DiCaprio’s speech after winning the Best Actor award at the Oscars in February 2016. As millions of fans watched DiCaprio accept his first Oscar, instead of talking about how long he had been waiting for the award like everyone expected him to, he spent a minute saying his thank you’s and then launched into a rant about the environment.

The audience of celebrities sat transfixed as DiCaprio regaled them with a series of bold statements, including “Climate change is real,” “It’s the most urgent threat facing our entire species,” “for those people out there whose voices who have been drowned out by the politics of greed.” 

It was the first major acceptance speech of its kind, but it would not be the last.

Just one year later, renowned actress Meryl Streep delivered a potent speech attacking then President-Elect Donald Trump for making fun of a disabled reporter, and talking about the need for a free press. Streep went well over her time limit, but no one booted her off stage because what she was doing was unprecedented and admirable.

“Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence,” Streep said. “And when the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.”

Other actors began taking note of the new trend and decided they would give it a go, including Andrew Garfield at the 2018 Tonys. Garfield talked about the struggles of the LGBTQ community and how they deserved to be treated the same as everyone else.

“It is a spirit that says no to oppression; it is a spirit that says no to bigotry, no to shame, no to exclusion. It is a spirit that says we are all made perfectly and we all belong,” Garfield said. “So let’s just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked.”

While Garfield, Streep and DiCaprio spoke about vastly different topics, they had one theme in common. They used their platform for something more. 

For decades, these speeches have had the same format. Thank you Mom. Thank you Dad. Thank you to the production company, to my spouse, to the other actors in the production and the other actors who did not win but had such brilliant performances. 

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you Leo for throwing a wrench in the format of acceptance speeches. We’re all tired of all the gratitude. We know you’re grateful for everyone. We know that you would not have been able to do it without their support. 

What we do not know is what else they can do with that time in the spotlight. 

DiCaprio loves the environment and has fought for environmental issues for years. He wants to stop climate change and the best way to do this is through awareness. If one person decides to change their lifestyle, to recycle more and maybe bike to work instead of driving, that will make a small difference. If millions of people make the same small decisions, the ripple effect will be monolithic.

Streep is a kindhearted woman. She saw an abuse of power and called the president-to-be out on it on national television. That takes guts. Streep fought a culture of bigotry and used her speech to inspire change in the way we treat others.

Garfield used his platform to fight for equality among the LGBTQ community. When people, no matter their political views, see a celebrity they love and respect advocating for something bigger than themselves, that just might incite a change in heart.

You accomplish nothing by telling the world how grateful you are. Your family and cast and crew already know that. You can tell them that at literally any point. However, even celebrities only have a live audience of millions at a handful of times in their lives. 

Should they waste it, or should they use it for something more?