As members of the Class of 2021 prepare to move on from their time at Northwestern, our staff’s seniors reflected on their time at Northwestern and the moments and events that have shaped the past four years. Go through our Graduation Issue to relieve some of the experiences of the class shared and read our seniors' final columns on their time at The Daily.
Over the past four years, the Class of 2021 has lived through a number of memorable events on campus and in Evanston. We're taking a look at some of the biggest stories of the past four years.
From bowl games and Final Fours to NCAA Tournaments and Big Ten crowns, the Class of 2021 has seen its share of memorable athletic moments in the last four years. The Daily's sports staff turns back to recap the best plays, games and wins for the Wildcats.
"Beyond showing me how to report, write, edit and communicate, The Daily made me understand a major life lesson many reporters of color have had to learn: how to survive and still be yourself. This journey wasn’t easy."
"The 2020-21 school year was incredibly difficult. Collectively, we contended with so much loss — of loved ones, of the spaces we did have that were now unsafe to use, of friendships that did not survive distance, of time with each other, of opportunities, of a traditional senior year. As the world has opened up and I’ve seen so many more classmates, I feel a sense of shared joy and optimism, an acknowledgement of the resilience we’ve displayed and the camaraderie we feel."
"The Daily changed that. I started to feel like journalism wasn’t something I had to or should do on my own anymore. I found a community of people who shared a passion for journalism and making a product we could all be proud of. I moved my game-watching location from my dorm room to the newsroom — still with a Norbucks iced tea, of course — and my editors and colleagues would go on to become some of my best friends."
"But The Daily, for all its flaws, did more than take me in — it gave me the home I was so desperately looking for. On those third floor couches, I found some of my best friends, giggling as we shared a love for middle-aged women, moderated by Andy Cohen, yelling at each other and munched on second dinners from Norbucks and the Kiln. I discovered that I really loved slashing articles to bits, and then rebuilding them."
"But there is almost always something interesting that is left on the cutting room floor and is never published in The Daily. Sometimes it’s a description of a play that occurred early in the game and appeared to be important but lost relevance as the game continued. Other times, it’s a funny quote that has no place in a story."
"That’s what has made being around this group so rewarding for me. I’ve felt like a professional beat reporter and a valued source of information on the team, and I’ve been treated like one. And I have plenty of memories to prove it."
"Each time I walked into that newsroom, I left it knowing I was better than when I entered. It wasn’t always perfect; I had stressful deadlines, had stories torn apart and ones that I’ve had to re-write completely. But I knew that as long as I gave my best effort on every story, I could be satisfied with the results."