This is definitely what I did not expect my time as editor-in-chief to be like. 

For those of you who may not know me yet — I’m Angelica Relente, and I’m a senior multimedia journalism major from Oahu, Hawaii. I was the editor-in-chief this past summer and will be editor-in-chief this fall as well. 

I gotta admit; I wasn’t expecting all sunshines and rainbows when I took over. I wasn’t expecting a global pandemic, either. 

This past summer, my managing editor, Jacqui Thomasson, and I decided not to publish a weekly paper and to push stories online instead. I don’t want to speak for all the editors who worked alongside me, but it was an interesting experience for sure because we weren’t physically putting a paper together. That feeling alone is a million times different compared to working from home, and I’m sure others can agree with me on that.

In late June, the Student Media Board and I decided to cut our five-day print publication to one due to the financial obstacles that came with the pandemic. One of the other options was to cut student pay.

Cutting student pay is something we will not consider choosing no matter the circumstance. Every single student that works in this newsroom has a lot of passion and puts a lot of effort into their craft — not getting paid for that would be unfair.

The decision to cut print was something that wasn’t easy to digest because printing five days per week was something editors before me have fought so hard for in the past. It is — without a doubt — unfortunate that it had to come to this, but I’m choosing to view this in an optimistic lens because, well, why not?

One thing that’s keeping me motivated in times like this is a quote I saw when I was doom online shopping on Redbubble: grow through what you go through. 

Although things will be different this fall, I can assure you that the Evergreen is here to stay. 

Every Thursday morning, we will have a fresh stack of papers for you to pick up. We will also continue publishing stories online for the other days we’re not printing. 

The news section will continue reporting on all things WSU- and Pullman-related, with a closer look at how COVID is affecting the students and residents here. Roots will continue featuring businesses and individuals, and opinion will continue covering hot topics, especially with this coming election. Mint will continue covering the arts that still very much exist, and sports will take a deep dive on features of student-athletes.

When I got this position, my overarching goal was to continue serving our readers. That goal alone didn’t change because of this pandemic. It’s still here, alive and well. I look forward to spearheading this unusual semester with my editorial staff, and I hope you are here to stick with us, too. 

If you have any news tips or if you’d simply like to chat with me — whether on the phone or via Zoom — please feel free to reach out at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you (and your dog or cat if they decide to show up during our Zoom call).