‘Have a wonderful day, Texans’

BY HAELEY CARPENTER

Editor-in-Chief

If you were to tell little Haeley that she would become the editor-in-chief of her university’s news service, she would ask how the hell that happened. If you were to ask high school Haeley, she would wonder how we even made it to college. If you would ask spring 2022 Haeley who was in news gathering and writing, she would simply tell you no way.

If you were to ask me now if I ever thought that I would be writing a goodbye letter to the best team and organization I have ever been a part of, I would tell you no, but that I wouldn’t change a thing.

The girl who sat in Mr. Lewter’s class in 2022 was unsure of herself. She didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life; didn’t know who she wanted to be. Hell, she didn’t even know what she wanted to do for dinner.

I tell everyone that asks me how I like Tarleton that it was the best decision I ever could have made for myself. Looking back, yes that is true, but it is because it led me to walk into Lewter’s office the first day of the fall semester in 2022 and accept his offer to be a multimedia journalist (MMJ) for the Texan News Service.

Little did I know that it would change my life.

I was so worried about not liking it or letting everyone down, but Lewter convinced me to trust him and go into things with an open mind. I gave him an underwhelming, “I guess.”

He believed in me more than I believed in myself.

I came in as an MMJ and was excited to write about the school I loved. It was a semester of learning and getting comfortable with the team. At the time we were small but we didn’t let that stop us. Taite Read, thank you for being so welcoming and leading with passion and integrity.

As the digital media director, I spent weeks and weeks pressing all the buttons on that website until something worked. The website is my baby and, now, we are about to hit 150,000 views. I could not be more proud of the website, and I thank y’all for trusting me with it.

That semester, I started to feel that maybe this isn’t just a college job to make a little extra cash on the side. Lord knows we aren’t in it for the money.

Jolee, Reese, Copeland, Jaxon, Michaela, Thomas, Payton and Ashtyn; Lewter may have helped me join the team, but y’all are the reason I stayed.

The summer after being the digital media director, I became the managing editor and we merged with JTAC. I had so many hesitations about it because I was so proud of the TNS, and I hate change. I was nervous because I didn’t know how things were going to go, but I realized that those feelings meant that I cared so much about what we were doing.

The merge happened, and for a while there were some bumps in the road, but we got through them as a team.

The fall semester started and we almost doubled in size in two weeks. It was crazy going from a small group of friends to being in charge of so many baby journalists. I learned so much about leading a team, the writers whose stories I was editing and, of course, myself. I (somehow) balanced 18 hours of classes, two other jobs and, don’t tell human resources, over 20 hours at the TNS. I didn’t have room to think, but when I did, it was more often than not about the job that meant more than anyone will ever know.

Being the editor-in-chief this semester came easy to me; like putting on a sweatshirt that fit perfectly. I was so gung ho about all of the things we could do, I jumped in, and we started swimming through the semester together.

Every person that I have come across in the newsroom—every staff member, professor and person interviewed—has meant the world to me.

To my JTAC Editors: If anyone has put up with the most from me this semester, it was y’all. Thank you for working with me, being patient while we figure out Canvas and being patient with me when forgetting to assign stories. The three of y’all have helped so much this semester, and I was so lucky to have y’all.

To my podcast crew, thank you for taking your ideas and running with them. Podcasting is the area that I knew the least about, so I was slightly worried when y’all pitched the idea, but I knew that between the four of us, we could figure it out. And it turns out you didn’t even need me. Keep producing your witty popcast, the world is lucky to listen.

To my broadcast team, I have loved your creativity and eagerness to try something new. Even if it didn’t work, you tried again, and if it still didn’t work, you never let it get to you. After a bumpy road last semester and the promise of bigger and better equipment, I can’t wait to watch as an alumna.

To my marketing team, the two of you started with little to nothing and have learned as you went, and I am so proud of you. The connections and money y’all have made will benefit the TNS for years to come.

To my MMJs, you guys have grown so much this semester, and I can’t wait to see y’all flourish even more. Your ideas and creativity cannot be recreated, and I am so lucky to have individuals who are so passionate about starting something new. Thank you for being teachable and excited to learn.

Reese, I can’t believe it but we did it, girl. Congratulations on everything you have accomplished in college and at the TNS. I’m so excited to be graduating with you.

Ashtyn, words can’t describe how much your friendship has meant to me. Every up and down, you have been there making me laugh, and I can always count on you to pick me back up. Even when you weren’t trying, our time together has been some of my favorite moments. You are going to be extraordinary.

Kenzie, I wouldn’t want anyone else to take my place. You are going to do great things. Your talent, support, humor and logic have kept me grounded and humbled this semester, and I don’t know what I would have done without you. The team is in your hands now. Good luck, because they are a handful, but have fun, because it’ll be worth it.

O Captain, My Captain, Mr. Lewter, I owe you so much. You will never know how much you saved me. Every correction and compliment has made me the person I am today.

Even on the days I didn’t necessarily love my job, I liked it. Every awkward interview, stutter at the anchor desk, 11 o’clock paper night, crashout over Oxford commas, frustration at late submissions, I still liked what I did.

The negatives were few and far between, and it was so much easier to focus on the positives.

I have traveled to incredible places like New Orleans and New York City, got to speak on a panel at the Texas Press Association, write almost 30 articles, grow more than anyone will ever know, lead an amazing team and best of all, make some damn good friends.

The opportunities I have had at my time during the TNS were unmatched. I owe it to every administrator that has ever supported us. Lewter, Dr. Emran El-Badawi, Dr. Chris Gearhart, Kirk Wise, Tonya Ford, Dr. James Hurley and countless others’ dedication have helped improve our organization and make successful students.

All in all, I am undeniably sad to leave. I am also beyond proud of every member of this team. You all will do incredible things, and it has been an absolute honor to be your editor-in-chief.

Winnie the Pooh has a famous quote that says, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

While it couldn’t be more true, I hate goodbyes, and I will be back, so for now:

Have a wonderful day, Texans.