TKS Editors Blog

First order of business: why does WordPress greet me with “howdy”? This does not help with my desperate attempt to forget that I was born in Texas.

In slightly more relevant news, I am pleased to announced the 2012-2013 TKS editorial staff, all of whom will write posts on this blog (or whatever this blog becomes after our new website redesign is done). Did I mention that we’re redesigning our website? It’s going to beautiful (and functional, for once). And there will be blogs, including an editors’ blog. And people will blog on it regularly. Because it’s in their contracts. So there.

(I need more sleep in my life.)

2012-2013 TKS Editorial Staff
Editor-in-chief: Anna Meier
Managing Editor: Charlie Gorney
News Editors: Matt McKinney and Julian Boireau
Mosaic Editors: Paige Anderson and Chelsea Embree
Discourse Editor: Samantha Paul
Sports Editor: Jackson White
Photo Editors: Michelle Orr and Jessica Couvillier
Copy Editors: Camille Brown, Sam Brownson, Kyle Cruz, Mary DiPrete and Gabrielle Rajerison
Web Development Team: Johnathan Ebbers, Cody Sehl and Carina Tran
Business Manager: Hannah Basil

Guys, it’s going to be a fantastic year.

Since it’s only the first day of term, you’re probably still lacking in the homework area and are simply moping about with nothing to do. Remedy this by checking out this week’s art events – or, better yet, auditioning for one!

Theatre
Help make the shows for the upcoming term by auditioning for two Studio Theatre productions – Poor Exposition, written by Ajoura Gwinn and directed by Neil Phelps, and A  Marriage Proposal, written by Anton Chekhov and directed by Emily Antoff.
If you go: March 24 and March 25 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Studio Theatre.

Music
Knox College Choir
Always amazing already, the Knox College Choir just went and sang eight million concerts in Spain. Come see them in Kresge now that they have every note beyond perfect.
If you go: Friday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Kresge Recital Hall

Maps & Atlases
All atlases have maps, but not all maps are atlases. Sponsored by WVKC, it is claimed that the music of Maps & Atlases involves math, rock music and a lot of excellent beards. Free buttons are provided to early attendees; Spencer Graham and Knox band Hello, Sailboat will be opening.
If you go: Saturday, March 24; doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. in Studio Theater

Knox-Galesburg Symphony Concert
Featuring Eva Leon and music from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Free for students with ID.
If you go: Saturday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre

Dance
No dance shows this week, but if you’d like to be in one in the future, try out for Terpsichore. Dance experience is not required; prepared movement is not required.
If you go: Thursday, March 22 from either 6 to 7 p.m. OR 7 to 8 p.m. in the Aux Gym.

Literature
Books That Don’t Suck, the official book club of Stone Alley (the used bookstore on Seminary Street), will be reading “Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter” by Seth Grahame-Smith – the same guy responsible for the glory (and I do mean glory) that was “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” Come on, Knox, it’s Lincoln and vampires; what’s not to like?
If you go: Tuesday, March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Seminary St. Pub

As an (almost) spring term senior, one of my biggest regrets about my time at Knox was that I didn’t go to every single dance performance/art show/play/open mic/whatever-it-may-be, because even the not-so-good ones were always worth it. To help you avoid a similar fate, here’s a quick guide to art and events for the upcoming week – take a study break and go check them out for yourself.

Dance
Terpsichore Dance Collective is putting on their winter term show this weekend. It’s called “Siroccos & Jet Steams,” and while I can’t speak to why that is, I can attest Terp shows are always worth attending. The band Poets & Peasants will be playing pre-show both Friday and Saturday and rumor has it they’ve got some new music.
If you go: Thursday, March 1 – Saturday, March 3 at 7 p.m. in Harbach Theater

Theatre
The mainstage may be over, but the term’s theater is not. “Childhood: A Devised Show,” was created entirely by students and uses the (slightly) less traditional venue of the Studio Theatre. A Facebook event warns it “contains strong language and mature themes.” Considering the cast, I’m guessing it also contains strong humor and mature ideas that will keep you thinking long after the show is done.
If you go: Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 at 8:30 p.m. in Studio Theater

Open mics
An evening of Art
Hosted by ABLE. An evening of art – and they’ve promised a wide variety.
If you go: Wednesday, February 29 at 7 p.m. in the Rodge Lodge

Over Knox III: Revenge of the Over Knox
“Over Knox” is a new series of comedy open-mics organized by senior Ben Lee. Although they only started this term, this is already the third one and I hear they’re going pretty well. Go watch for some laughs and as a reason to get off campus. Go perform if you want (your jokes) to be laughed at.
If you go: Saturday, March 3 at 10 p.m. in Yellows, Apt. #9

Off Knox
A classic Knox event, a new location. Likely heavy on guitar/singing duos and poetry readings. Luckily, they’re usually good guitar/singing duos and poetry readings. Plus, it should be noted McGillacuddy’s has rocking spinach dip.
If you go: Friday, March 2 at McGillacuddy’s at 8 p.m.

APO Open Mic
Proceeds from this open mic benefit the Knox County Academy. Use art for a good cause.
If you go: Sunday, March 4 at 7 p.m. in the Rodge Lodge

Music
Stepdad
90.7 WVKC is bringing the group “Stepdad,” which, I believe, plays some kind of dance music. Beyond that, I know little, but it’s rare for WVKC to bring a flop, so check it out. They have also promised free buttons.
If you go: Saturday, March 3 at 8:30 p.m. in the Rodge Lodge

Knox Sandburg Community Concert Band Concert
If you go: Wednesday, February 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Kresge

Women’s Chorale
An hour of Broadway hits/show tunes/etc.
If you go: Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. in Kresge

Other
Books that Don’t Suck
Just in case you’re one of those people who has time to read for fun in addition to your classes (don’t raise your hand, you might get jumped by jealous students) Stone Alley’s bookclub is meeting to discuss “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk,” by David Sedaris. Having read other Sedaris books, I feel justified in testifying to their humor. Plus, you’re a Knoxian. Can you really pass up something about squirrels?
If you go: Tuesday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m. at Cherry Street

Quiver release
This event is timeless- literally. Quiver just released a new issue of their children’s literature genre magazine, so go give it a read. Check out the sci-fi/fantasy and humor issues while you’re on their website. http://quiver.knox.edu/

This may be a surprise to the friends who have to listen to us complain about TKS (the late nights, writing four-plus articles a week rather than essays for class, etc.), but we actually like doing what we do. So while spending 24 hours in a hotel attending journalism seminars – a consequence of going to the Illinois College Press Association (ICPA) conference last weekend – might not be everyone’s idea of fun, I’m going to go on the record as having thoroughly enjoyed it.

ICPA gave the staff a lot of new ideas for things we want to change (which you’ll hopefully be seeing in the upcoming term). What intrigued – and slightly unnerved me – most, however, was a seminar on journalism moving into the digital age. As the presenter pointed out, journalism is beginning to compete with social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, which, in recent months, have occasionally broken major stories even before the mainstream media. Large, well-known newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times are having to cut huge segments of their staff.

There will always be a role for hard-news reporters – someone has to report the raw events in order to spur commentary. But the role of newspapers are changing and moving online. It’s a change TKS will have to adapt to as well, posting stories and event coverage as they happen, rather than waiting to print them once a week. It will have its own types of positives – for example, hopefully spurring more online discussion from the Knox community – but it does require change. It’s something to think about, both as a news staff and a college campus. What do we want this type of evolving journalism to mean here at Knox?

…will usher in a new era of journalism at Knox College. Why, you ask? Because the unstoppable news team of Charlie and Anna will be reunited.

I’d like to take this opportunity to give a tremendous kudos to Charlie for all of the work he did fall term by himself. Let me tell you, running the news section of TKS is no easy task, much less doing it alone. Last term, Charlie came up with story ideas when nothing was happening, managed a staff of almost entirely new writers (while trying to increase mentoring time with said staff), put together the entire news section every Wednesday, pulled more than his own weight in terms of assignments and dealt with publications office debacles with the grace of a pro. He produced some excellent reporting while working to develop the talent in our young writing staff. He’s modest, and so he’s not going to like that I’m posting this here, but he can deal, because he’s pretty awesome.

If Charlie did all of that by himself, wait until you see what we’re going to do together. Expect more coverage of national and international affairs. Expect more hard-hitting investigative stories. Expect more multimedia reporting. But don’t just expect it; hold us to it. We do journalism because we love it, but we ultimately do it for you, our audience, and we don’t like to deal in empty promises.

(Who knows; maybe Charlie will even make an appearance on this blog! Or another editor besides Katy and me. I can dream.)

The person in the corner who doesn’t read TKS because they don’t have time or they don’t want to sift through our user-unfriendly website. (Don’t worry; we’re working on that.)

http://www.facebook.com/theknoxstudent

We’ll post our most interesting articles. We’ll ask for your opinion on any number of campus issues. We’ll even remind you when the new issue of TKS comes out each week (Thursday evenings, in case you didn’t know).

Got a lead on a story? Tell us on Facebook! Have an event you’d like covered? Tell us on Facebook! Have a viewpoint on an article (and you go to Knox, so we know you have one)? You know what to do.

You now have no excuse not to stay connected with TKS. You’re welcome.

This post is a thank-you to anyone who has a friend working on TKS. Because, let it be known: if you are friends with a TKS editor, you have a lot to put up with.

You are our main source of quotes. Yes, we try not to interview friends, but when we’re writing an article at 1:55 a.m. and the only person around is you, our close friend who we’ve known since freshmen year, you’re going to be giving a quote, whether or not you know anything about our topic or not. Also, you’d better be articulate about it.

Secondly, you will be asked at least once a week whether or not you want to write for us. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to and it doesn’t matter how many times you say no. At some point, you’ll be writing an article for us. It’s far easier for me to count the number of friends I haven’t gotten to write an article than the number of friends I have. If I catch the flu right before I’m supposed to go cover The Crucible, guess who I’m going to call to beg to please, please do it for me just this once.

Also, we never shut up about TKS. Ever. As soon as the new issue comes out, we have to read it and critique it. We have to turn every thought into a potential article. We have to go to meetings all the time and you can only find us on Wednesdays if you’re willing to brave the long shadow of the Publications Office. You don’t want to go to the Gizmo with us because we’re bound to run into another editor and discuss the latest TKS gossip for at least half an hour (and, trust me, there’s always TKS gossip). We won’t go to Union Board events without a reporter’s notebook and we’ll be sure to embarrass you afterward as we run up to random strangers and ask their opinion on the act of the evening.

We have our writers interview our friends. We text them at odd hours asking for phone numbers and names of people they know who we don’t. We drag them to our TKS parties, even if what they actually wanted to do was somewhere on the other side of campus. We use them as stress relief when something TKS-related goes wrong (often). Yes, it can be safely said: although they might not work for TKS, a lot of our friends are convinced they do.

It should also be said, though, that we truly appreciate it. You who have unintentionally become our official liaison into the music department, you who find yourself quoted week after week, you who continue letting us rant and keep going to Union Board events with us and still hang out in the Gizmo even though we might show up: thank you. You might not work for the paper, but you’re a large part of why we’re sane (or insane) enough to keep doing so.

Ladies and gentlemen, I write of a great travesty that has stricken our dear college. Why, why, why has the top story on theknoxstudent.com only received 151 hits? There are more than 151 students at Knox, are there not? (Or has the school finally decided that progressively bigger classes + lack of space = everyone getting up in my personal bubble?)

Freshmen, let me implore you: be in the know. Care about what is going on around campus. Knox will be your home for the next four years, and what happens here will often affect you in a very personal way. There’s a lot that’s changed even since I was at Knox in May: the smoothie bar in the Caf, the dumb backpack policy in the Caf, plenty of other things in the Caf (my life most certainly does not revolve around food), and, of course, our new president and Breitborde’s impending retirement (which we all knew was coming, but still).

Knox students often complain that they aren’t told anything about administrative decisions. They say they don’t know what Student Senate does. They moan and groan about being unfamiliar with school policies. Lo and behold, there is a solution! TKS is chock-full of information, and it’s easy to find: in the Gizmo, in the mail room, and of course, online. We even have a handy dandy Twitter feed for those of you who are into that.

There is an elephant in the corner of this post: this blog is linked directly to the TKS website, and if you don’t know that it exists, you’re probably only going to find it through that. Thus, the people reading this likely already read TKS. To you, kudos for caring about what’s happening at Knox. Kudos for caring about your fellow students’ work and opinions. Now, I challenge you to poke your friends/roommate/suitemates/that random kid in Founders and encourage them to visit theknoxstudent.com as well. The coverage this week is fantastic, with everything from why composting has been delayed to reviews of quirky albums. (Thanks, Christopher Poore; I always discover something new from reading your work!) And you know you want to procrastinate on your homework anyway. So really, what’s stopping you?

For last year’s freshman issue, I wrote an article with the working title “Hello, we have no deans and about half of a president” in reference to the departures of Deans Bailey and Romano and Roger’s impending retirement. I am pleased to say that this year, we do indeed have deans, and we have a fantastic new president. Teresa Amott, welcome to Knox College. We’re excited to see what you’ll bring to campus.

This year, I’m writing an article tentatively titled “Flunk Day is a myth” with the byline “Bringer of Flunk Day truth.” My maturity has clearly reached new heights over the course of the past year.

Returning students: what are you looking forward to about this year at Knox? Freshmen: same question.

People say that when your job consumes your life, your coworkers become your best friends. It wasn’t something I believed wholeheartedly until I found a job I really loved. My part-time gig at the local library during high school gave me gas money and an extensive knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System but not much else. I liked being surrounded by words, but I didn’t just want to check them in and out; I wanted to write them. With TKS, I had the opportunity to do just that–and get paid for it.

I’ll be honest: the pay at my library job was better. The average TKS editor probably puts in 20-25 hours of work a week and gets compensated for 8. You don’t do it for the money. You do it for the camaraderie that comes from spending your Wednesday nights in a cramped office, yelling obscenities at the computers and discussing the merits of the Oxford comma. You do it for the people who will argue with you, even if they are heretics and won’t use the Oxford comma even outside of journalistic situations. You write stories for your audience, but you also write them for each other. The best tips come from your co-editor who works in an administrative office and catches snippets of college drama around the coffeemaker. The best insight comes from your co-editor who’s interviewed almost every professor on campus and knows who to talk to and when. The best stories are produced by a team, with one person reading through city ordinances at 1 a.m. and another finding a press pass for the reporter whose tape recorder is always running.

John has put together an excellent team for next year, and it’s exciting to welcome Charlie, Paige, Matt, Grant, Carina, Michelle, Sam & Sam, Gretchen, and Elizabeth (HA OXFORD COMMA HA) to the pub office. Maybe they will surpass previous editors and actually use this blog. (One can dream.) But it’s not about surpassing–not really. A good editorial staff builds on the work of previous editors. And our previous editors have done a lot.

Tomorrow morning, nine former TKS editors will graduate. Who will write the dirty investigative stories now that Ben is gone? Who will fill Kevin’s role of being sarcastic about everything? Who will indulge my OCD if Anni and Rachel can’t?

I’m excited about the new staff, especially my new co-editor, the fantastic Charlie Gorney. It’ll just take a little getting used to. But I’ll come back in January after spending the fall in Berlin and find everyone to be working together seamlessly in an atmosphere as intense and wacky and fun as before.  Right, guys?  Right?