Sarah Irby, Editor in Chief~
Just a heads up: For once, this column won’t be about something risque or taboo. This issue is the last issue of The Critograph for the 2017-18 year, which also means this is the last time I will be writing for my column, since I will be graduating in a few short weeks.
I initially joined The Critograph staff as copy editor during my junior year and moved up to assistant editor. When I became unhappy with my work, the editor in chief at the time – Brittany Peck – mentioned a past relationship column and suggested I put my own spin on something like that. And so She Said was born. I’m the type of person who likes to talk about all this crazy, often inappropriate stuff, and I probably say “That’s what she said” more than most people you know, so I knew it was a good fit from the beginning.
There are some people on this campus who have read my column and think it’s improper, whether it’s due to their religious beliefs or simply because they’re conservative individuals; but that’s okay. Not everyone has to agree with what I write, and not everyone has to think it’s appropriate. But this is one of the main reasons I write what I write.
I think the topics I discuss are incredibly important in today’s world, and all too often people are left feeling isolated and ashamed because society tells them not to talk about certain things. But every individual is unique and has different preferences in all areas of life. I think it’s important to break stigmas and to be able to seriously discuss even the things that might make some people feel weird. I mean, it’s 2018. Are we really so prudish that we can’t even talk about sex – a basic instinct among all creatures? So, this column has been an outlet for me to write about – and give my opinion on – things that often aren’t being discussed as broadly as they should be.
For those who do enjoy my column or even just take the time to read it, I am genuinely grateful. I am not sure whether or not it will have a future in the paper, and if it does, I do not know who will be writing it or if it will even keep the same title.
I am thankful to have spent the past two years in a newsroom with a team that is like a family, and to have always had the freedom to be myself and to exercise my first amendment rights. I am hopeful that the new staff next year will be able to engage our campus even more, and to provide quality content for our audience. Hopefully, they will have a passion for the work and for their coworkers.
It has been a pleasure to be the editor in chief for a paper that serves as “the student voice” during its last year under Lynchburg College, and I am excited to see what’s in store for its future. I wish everyone the best of luck in all of their endeavors. With that, I, Sarah Irby, am signing off. That’s what she said.
