Hello, for one last time, dear Mirror readers. After three years of writing, this will be the last article I will publish for this beloved campus newspaper. It’s cliche to say, but these three years of working for the Mirror have flown by faster than I could have imagined, leaving me in quite a reflective and nostalgic state. With graduation creeping up (far too quickly) in three weeks, I have been in an emotional overload, as I’m sure many of my fellow seniors can agree with. Overwhelmed with gratitude for what these four years at Fairfield have given me mixed with crippling sadness at having to say goodbye to everything I have built, I wanted to dedicate this last article to the people and organization that have had such a special impact on my time at Fairfield. That’s right, Mirror, I’m talking about you. Don’t get too emotional, now.
I met the current Mirror Editor-in-Chief, Max Limric, during the first semester of our sophomore year. Both enrolled in Dr. Bayer’s Native American Literature course, I had no idea that my random classmate would eventually become such a close peer and friend. As the first one in the classroom, I would always give an energetic “hi!” to Max as he strolled in, which was met by an overly tired and unamused “hello” back. I thought he hated me.
Funny enough, these hi’s and hello’s eventually resulted in Max catching up to me after class one day and suggesting that I apply to be an editor for the Mirror. As a recently declared English major who was looking to expand my writing, this truly felt like the perfect opportunity. Sure enough, I applied to be the Assistant Vine Editor and was hired to staff the following semester.
I immediately felt at home in this role. Especially as a Creative Writing major working in the Arts and Entertainment section, I was thrilled to be able to write and publish articles that I genuinely enjoyed working on. One of my most notable favorites from the beginning of my Mirror career is from the 2023 Valentine’s Day edition, titled: “Fairfield’s Favorite RomComs and Love Songs.” For this article, I interviewed my peers on their favorite Valentine’s Day songs and movies, resulting in a wide variety of responses that even included some Victorian poetry. I had so much fun running around to gather responses for this article, and was very proud of the wholesome yet entertaining piece that it turned out to be.
Jacqui and her first mirror article published in oct 2022
From various reviews on movies, music and food to interviewing my peers and professors, I fell in love with the Arts and Entertainment world that the Vine opened up for me. Now, I am fondly recalling all of the fun pieces I got to publish, such as covering student responses to the Snapchat AI when it first appeared at the top of our screens.
Not only this, but I became very close with my fellow editors during this semester– people who became my close friends and role models. Even more valuable than writing and publishing articles themselves, I was able to learn from my fellow editors and newfound friends. To this day, these individuals still inspire me to work harder and are always offering support and encouragement. You all know who you are!
Although I started off in the Vine section, I slowly expanded my writing to cover different sections over the rest of my semesters, eventually becoming the copy editor. From Opinion, News and Sports, I enjoyed being actively involved with the Mirror in any way that I could. Even during my semester abroad, I wrote articles covering my adventures and travels across Europe. Without even thinking about it at the time, I was actively creating a digital log of my entire college experience just from writing for the campus newspaper.
While most of my articles were more lighthearted and fun, I was able to cover topics that were incredibly impactful to write about. Most notably, my article entitled “Academics Beyond the Classroom: Teaching Female Afghan Students Through AFSO,” where I interviewed a Fairfield student and a professor involved in the Afghan Female Student Outreach program. Along with this, my Opinion article about how the declaration of English as the official national language would be harmful to our country was an incredibly eye-opening experience to dive into. Conducting interviews for each of these articles was such a profound moment in my journalism career. I truly felt moved by covering topics that were far bigger than myself and the Fairfield community.
And, of course, one of my all-time favorite pieces is my profile article on Dr. Orlando, a literature professor who has been such an inspiring and positive light for me throughout my college career. Walking through Donnarumma Hall one day, I was overjoyed to see this article framed on the wall, along with a photo of Dr. Orlando and her recently published book. It is small moments like this that are so rewarding and make me so grateful to be a writer.
Now, as a senior sitting here with mere weeks until I don my cap and gown on Bellarmine Lawn, I can happily credit so much of my college experience to the Mirror. Despite the stress of deadlines and last-minute catastrophes, I will remember the camaraderie and growth the most. All of the radio shows, fro-yo runs, creative collaboration and inside jokes made this experience all that it was. So, as a final goodbye to all that I have been blessed to work on this newspaper with over the years, thank you, and keep writing!
Jacqui pointing out her favorite section of the mirror, weekly 5×4!