Best of The Comenian 21-22
Photo courtesy of Nicholas Wan
If I’m being honest, I don’t know which article I’d pick because I’m proud of many of them for different reasons. I’m proud of my “Mass Effect” reviews because they were some of my first articles but also because of how much work I put into them with a cumulative almost 9,000 words between the three reviews. I love making my reviews (except for Morbius) and I’m happy that “Mass Effect” was the franchise to start them off. I’m also proud of my article discussing politics in entertainment because it was the first time I wrote about a topic that gets a lot of heat and national attention for the Comenian. That discussion was a blast to write as it combined two of my favorite topics being entertainment and political issues. Overall writing for The Comenian has been a blast this last year and I can’t wait to not only write bigger and better articles in the future but also to serve as the next editor-in-chief.
I am so glad I got involved with The Comenian during my time here. Covering campus events has sharpened my writing skills so much, and I’ve loved getting the opportunity to create my own biweekly comic strip “Behind the Mask.” It was so much fun to connect with the Moravian community with that comic. Knowing that I helped at least a few people feel less alone during a terrifying time makes me happy. One of my favorite comics was this one – it really comforted me to make, and I’m glad it comforted others. I also enjoyed working with Nick to create our Halloween print version of the paper – it was so cool to hold the finished product in my hands (and I agree, worth staying up until 2:00 am to make, Nick!)
It’s really hard for me to point to one article or moment that meant the most to me during my time writing for The Comenian, but I suppose it’d be most appropriate to pick The Albums That Soundtracked My College Years. The reason I picked this article is because it was the culmination of the music-related pieces I’ve written over the years. Not only is it a celebration of some of the best music of the past four years, but it allowed me to turn back the hands of time and reminisce about the sounds that accompanied me throughout some of the most important and memorable moments of my entire life. It felt right to end with an article that is grander in scale to an album review.
These past 6 months being a part of the Comenian have been so wonderful and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. For the variety of album review and social justice pieces I’ve done, I’d say my favorite one had to be the Breast Cancer Journeys article. Watching the different panelists come together and detail their experiences really informed me on the gravity of what victims of the illness have to go through on a daily basis. The panel felt so much more personal than just having someone teach you about breast cancer because these brave women actually went through it and they each had distinct experiences with the illness.
It’s been quite a whirlwind for me during my time writing for The Comenian. With two of my pieces reaching record views I could not be more grateful for the opportunities this club has given me. And while I am so proud of my highly viewed shuttle rants and interview with Dr. Deepak Chopra, I would have to say that my favorite article out of them all, was my first piece. Entitled, It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s A Rainbow! I researched and discussed queer characters from both the Marvel and DC Universes. Writing about the more main-stream characters that people may assume to be straight, like Harley Quinn or Tim Drake, otherwise known as Robin. As well as the not so well known characters, such as Bia and John Kent, Superman’s son. As a queer individual myself this piece was very fun and heartwarming for me to create as I got to see the inclusivity provided by one of my favorite franchises.
Ever since joining The Comenian, I’ve wanted us to create a print edition of the paper. There’s something about having the tangible paper in my hands that made me excited. When I became editor-in-chief, I knew that this would be something worth pursuing to both increase The Comenian’s popularity and recognition on campus, as well as give myself and my staff a physical memento of their hard work. Putting this paper together was not easy, but luckily I had Anna to help with that! She and I were up until 2:00 a.m. getting this prepared, but it was definitely worth it in the end. Hopefully she feels the same way! I have our print edition framed and hanging on my wall at the moment; I will treasure this experience for the rest of my life.
I joined fairly late to the game this academic year, so I have less to choose from regarding potential highlights. Getting to write what I do in general has been a dream come true, though, I must say. My little series, “Meanwhile, in Ireland,” is still young but all three articles I have done at the time of writing this have been amazing each in their own way. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite, as it means a lot to me to be able to get this information about this part of my heritage and culture out there in a more genuine way than I usually have seen (not to say it isn’t there elsewhere at all, because there certainly is, but there does tend to be a filter of Americanisation and Anglicisation in many cases, even if unintentionally so.) If I had to pick a favourite of the three, though, it would probably have to be the first that I did, “Meanwhile, in Ireland: a Brief History of Ireland, as Told Through Clothing“ which was a general look through Irish history, the good and the bad, through traditional dress. It was great fun gathering together photos for it as well as it being the start of this series I am so proud of and am so glad to be able to share.
It’s amazing what one or two articles can do for a community. A typical rant of the week I wrote about the peer mentor program blew up and resulted in the creation of Disability and Neurodiversity Advocacy, a club I created with my team (Bard, Anna Spadavecchia, and Ryan Anderson 02) that is among the first of its kind. I am so proud of what we have accomplished and what we will accomplish in the near and distant future, and it probably wouldn’t have happened–at least not as rapidly–without the Comenian!
