Exit Letter: Eleanor’s Exodus

Last spring, I told Dustin Copeland ’25 and Kei Lim ’25 that I was done being an editor of The Student. Maybe I’d write a few features articles in the fall, but for all intents and purposes, I was out.

I fantasized about the incredible sleep schedule I was going to develop. I made Tuesday night plans with friends. Then, come August, I began to second-guess myself.

The truth is, I couldn’t imagine my life at Amherst without The Student. Call it Stockholm syndrome or being a creature of habit, but this paper is the lens through which I’ve seen Amherst for almost four years.

Whenever something big happened on campus or in the world, I knew I would have a space to talk it through on Sunday afternoon or Tuesday night (while 2016 pop music played in the background). To work on The Student is to be surrounded by people who care about this place as much as I do, and who genuinely believe they can change it for the better through journalism. That’s been an incredible gift.

Of everything I’ve gained on The Student, I’m most grateful for the people I’ve gotten to know. Every person I’ve interviewed has tethered me closer to this place, and every person I’ve worked with has taught me something. I have so much love for each one of them, and I only wanted to write an exit letter so I could thank a few:

Thank you to our benevolent overlords, Dustin and Kei and June Dorsch ’27 and Naima Mohamed ’27, for letting me push the definition of journalism to include horoscopes and interviewing seven-year-olds. And thank you for letting me come crawling back after I pretended I was done last spring. I just can’t stay away!

To my fellow ’25 editors, we’ve come a long way since we stood masked on the First Year quad at The Student intro meeting. A lot of what I love about our grade in general is distilled in all of you — you are a uniquely passionate, funny, intelligent, and kind group of people. I would attend a Shawn Mendes concert with any of you, anytime.

Thank you to our writers, for showing up on Mondays and talking to us about what matters to you. Through Google Docs comments and suggestions (especially the ones you reject) you’ve made me a better editor (and probably person). This section is nothing without you.

Thank you also to my fellow features editors, past and present, who are the real reason I keep coming back:

To Caelen McQuilkin ’24E, for paving the way always. The Features section was built out of your mind and heart. I’d follow you anywhere.

To June, for being a Features girl at your core. It’s not too late to switch back.

To Ethan Neuschwander ’25, News is lucky to have kept you.

To Humphrey Chen ’26, for endless humor and creativity of all kinds. You have a talented career as an ASMRist in your future.

To Emma Burd ’26, for being kind and wise beyond your years. I have faith that someday you will uncover the mystery of the purple ice cream.  

To Lauren Siegel ’27, whose friendship has been a true bright spot this semester. You light up every room you’re in. Please continue to give me weekly icebreaker questions.

To Nife Joshua ’26, who manages to be involved in everything on campus but still makes time to hang out with us. You are responsible for so many of our good ideas.

To Olivia Law ’27, a bundle of curiosity, joy, and conversation — you are a vital piece in our Features puzzle. Thank you for letting me give you advice that’s really just me figuring out my own life.

To Sonia Chajet Wides ’25, for everything. Can you believe my first text to you ever was “newspaper?!”? I’m forever grateful we both went to that meeting. Working with you has taught me so much and being your friend has taught me even more.

And to everyone I’ve ever interviewed for an article, thank you most of all — for trusting me and this paper, and for making me laugh and think about this place a little differently. I’m so glad my audio recordings app is filled with all your different voices. I feel so incredibly lucky.