Editorial: On surviving the year

Credit: Jordan Hunter

This time last year we were sitting in a beer garden on Ashton Lane, hot sunshine through the trees highlighting the exhausted look in the eyes of predecessors and the sparkle of excitement in our own. It was handover day and we had spent hours in The Glasgow Guardian office preparing to officially take the reins and run the paper. This time, however, it is we who have the bags under our eyes as we try our best to articulate all the tasks and responsibilities that await our new Editors-in-Chief.

Despite the energy and enthusiasm that burned through us last summer, we went into the year putting a huge amount of pressure on ourselves. To follow in the footsteps of Georgina and Laurie was daunting and difficult, but we think we’ve done pretty well! We planned on going out with a big bang and wanted to round the year up with a weekend away with our new management family; but Covid-19 had other ideas, and at first, we felt quite deflated. But when we look back over the course of the year, we have realised just how much we managed to achieve.

From candidate interviews for the general election and the university rector, to uncovering flaws in the sexual assault reporting systems of the unions; creating a liveblog to cover a pandemic, to battling our lawyers over investigations we were desperate to publish and people that needed to be exposed; from more than doubling the size of our management team with a plethora of new roles, to stimulating incredible campus movements surrounding the University’s investments which will hopefully lead to lasting change. We have revamped the content of the paper, launching new series, and publishing more readable content, as well as increasing our online output with the introduction of video content and user-friendly social media.

We’ve done so much more behind the scenes, but none of it would have been possible if it weren’t for our incredibly dedicated management team. We are so proud of each and every one of them and everything they have achieved with us. Our team, along with our contributors, have gone above and beyond to create some of the best writing this paper has seen and we are so grateful to be finishing this year with dozens of new friendships. Many of our editors didn’t get the graduation they deserved, but we know they will go on to do amazing things. The hard work and commitment put in this year has been extraordinary and the paper has been taken to new heights. The number of applications we have received for next year’s team is testament to this, with more than double the amount we received last year! Georgina and Laurie solidified the foundations of this paper and worked tirelessly to make it into one of the best, nationally recognised student newspapers in the UK. We have built up around this and are itching to see what happens this year.

We are especially eager to introduce those who will be taking over our positions. Holly and Jordan will be incredible Editors-in-Chief and we are certain they will continue the graft to publish the best writing this university has to offer. Both have truly excelled as members of the team this year, and we know this historic publication is in safe hands. Covid-19 meant our handover was quite different to last year. No more being holed up together in the office, hunched around a computer, or being able to hug them to congratulate them. But despite the challenges that lay before them, we know the paper will be amazing regardless.

And so, we pass the baton on to our wonderful new Editors-in-Chief and go and take the longest, most overdue sleep of our lives! It has been quite the year for the both of us, full of many ups and downs, new friendships and difficult breakups, lots of cheap wine and too much Taylor Swift. Thank you for reading the content we have put out and we hope you will join us in our anticipation to see what Jordan and Holly bring!