A new year and a new decade will only have as much meaning as we give them.

All change is gradual – there is always a better way for any system to operate, but do not act before you think. This sums up my first semester’s experience as editor-in-chief of The Lion’s Roar.

As spring kicks our tired selves out from our beds and back to classes and work, it is essential for me to reflect as a pragmatist, to look at things in an objective manner. With an almost entirely new staff this past fall, a new position at the newspaper, and several outside factors pressing on my day-to-day schedule, The Lion’s Roar staff performed at our greatest capacity.

The staff and I worked diligently to produce quality content for the campus community. From establishing new connections and relationships on campus to adding to our ever-growing social media presence, we have hit the mark in engaging with our audience. In addition to our workload accomplishments, I made my first semester 4.0 GPA in the fall.

While 2019 presented both great challenges and great accomplishments, 2020 will be the staff’s year to transition from working hard to working smart. Yes, our staff is intelligent, but the structure of our day-to-day work needs tweaking.

How will this impact the reader? What changes will The Lion’s Roar undergo? As I have said before, all change is gradual. While they may not be redefining changes, I hope to lay the groundwork to a more successful publication this year by working even more with our online and on-campus presence.

We have a Twitter account that I hope will rise from the ashes and restore its use to the fullest potential. It is a small change, but nonetheless one that will improve the publication.

One of my proudest additions to the newspaper was the connection built between students and departments who sent submissions for the newspaper. Keeping those connections and growing new ones will allow different sets of eyes to look for what the community should be aware of.

A picture can speak a thousand words, but I believe the photos included in The Lion’s Roar should tell a constructive narrative. Our online presence has grown, and the most engaging posts involve photo collages, some that have even been used by individuals and other departments on campus. I believe ‘capturing the moment’ gives the story more justice than only words can describe, and so the staff and I will work to increase the amount of engaging online content we post on social media and broaden our coverage to encompass additional aspects of the university.

This is my sixth semester on staff at Student Publications. Reinventing the wheel is pointless, but there can always be a more effective way to work. As long as I think rationally, and guide the staff with a constructive and practical plan, all will be well, and the community will see the newspaper function at its peak.