As The Oswegonian prepares to wrap up the fall 2020 semester, I have come to reflect more than usual compared to a “normal” semester. Perhaps it is because of how COVID-19 has changed the way our organization has run, showing that a Wednesday or Thursday night in the newsroom with some of your closest friends can no longer be taken for granted.

The last three years, heading into winter break, I have always had a plan. My freshman year, I knew I was going from staff writer to copy editor and would be spending more time in the office. Two years ago, as sports editor, I had so many ideas for different page designs with hockey and the spring sports season coming up. As managing editor last year, I was thinking of general overhauls for the paper as a whole.

This year, with SUNY Oswego’s spring semester plan still not released, even with SUNY guidance, I am at a loss. I am not expecting to have full access to our office. I do not anticipate allowing more than two staff members at any given time into the newsroom. Instead of preparing for the second half of the season of men’s hockey, I have to prepare for any major blows from SUNY Oswego and its — usually appropriate — COVID-19 restrictions.

But, if anything, this semester has proven that our staff is extremely versatile and resilient. Everyone hunkered down, got their job done and adapted to changes at the drop of a hat. Instead of spending hours in the office every week, editors had to rely on texting, emailing and doing a lot of work from their own rooms. Without our flexible staff, I can safely say that our semester would not have gone as smoothly as it did.

As we end this strange and frustrating semester, there was another reason I had been reflecting a lot: the pring 2021 semester will be my last with The Oswegonian and at SUNY Oswego. It is truly crazy to think about it. Four years has gone by way too fast. This caused me to wonder what I will say in May: what was The Oswegonian to me?

This semester, we have four staff members graduating: Nicole Hube, who spent the last year and a half as photography director; Stephen Novak, who was the Laker Review editor this past semester, but spent last year as the section’s assistant; Luke Owens, who served as our circulation director this semester but was the assistant sports editor last year; and Megan Sylvester, who has been our social media coordinator for a year and a half.

As dedicated members of The Oswegonian, some of them longer than just the two years they were paid staff members, what was this organization to them? Was it just an excuse to get out of their rooms every week, or did it mean something more? I used the prompt, “If you could describe your time at The Oswegonian in one sentence, what would it be?”

Nicole said, “It was a blessing to work alongside a tight-knit, hard-working group of kind and dedicated people.” Stephen added, “I worked very hard and accomplished something great at the cost of my co-workers’ quality of life.” Luke mentioned, “The Oswegonian gave me a place to work in a professional environment and help build my portfolio, while also creating friendships that will last a lifetime.”

While my last semester will be anything but normal, I am excited to continue to lead this organization for one more semester. We will strive to improve and build on the legacy that has been set before us since 1935. 

COVID-19 has not stopped us yet, and I expect nothing to change.