I know I’m about two weeks late saying it, but happy new year!

I’ve always been a big fan of New Year’s Day. I know time is arbitrary and everything is meaningless and blah, blah, blah, nihilistic commentary. Whatever, I’ve always thought it’s a good idea.

I believe everyone is always looking for a way to improve themselves. We’re not oblivious to our flaws. We want to do better, to be better, but change is scary. It’s always scary to do something we’ve never done before.

I’m scared of a lot of things. I always sleep with a light on because I’m scared of the dark, and I spent 10 years avoiding blenders because I accidentally broke my uncle’s when I was a kid.

At some point in the last few years, I decided I can’t keep being scared of everything. There will always be something to be scared of, and even though the reasons for being scared may be valid, you have to ask yourself what you’re missing out on because of that fear.

This is my second semester working for the Evergreen, and I’m downright terrified to be editor. But I’ve chosen to not let that stop me. I believe in my own capabilities, and though my mistakes may be public, and I’m bound to make a mistake, I’m not scared. Everyone messes up. For God’s sake, did you see the tomato soup recipe in this edition? That was a mess.

Over 3,500 copies of our paper are printed every day. Any mistake I make as editor is featured in every one of those copies. Any mistake I make lives on our website indefinitely. That’s a good reason to be scared, right?

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better,” Samuel Beckett said in his “Worstward Ho.” That’s my favorite quote because it serves as a reminder that failure is not permanent, nor does it define us. We can’t grow if we don’t try, and we can’t try if we’re scared to fail.

Even if you have a New Year’s resolution or if you don’t believe in them, I encourage you, this year, to try some of the things that scare you. Try something you don’t think you’re capable of. Try something you just don’t know if you want to try. And most importantly, fail. Fail again and again and again. Then get up and try again and fail better.

I wish you the best in the new year, and I hope you enjoy this edition of Mint and all the ones to come.