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A Good Ride as Editor of the Famuan

By Sidney Wright IV
Black College Wire

My roller coaster has come to an end.

After 74 issues and nine special sections over a period of two semesters, I've put out my last issue as editor in chief of the Famuan.

Sidney Wright IV

The early mornings, and even later nights, have been worth it. When I became editor in chief, I promised the students more coverage of important stories, more investigations and a stronger overall presence on the Florida A&M University campus.

I think we've done that.

In the spring semester, we tackled the issue of students being forced to pay for perks they were not receiving from their apartment complexes, students losing their scholarships and the ever-popular, yet often controversial spring elections.

In the fall, we covered the trial of Kappa Alpha Psi members accused of hazing, the dethroning of Mr. FAMU and the ultimate loss — that of a loved one.

I was ready for the people who would hate me because of the job I have to do. They do, and probably always will. Do I care? Not really.

I was ready for the backlash of delving into something taboo and putting our school on "front street." Was there backlash when we wrote about hazing?

Yes, there was. Do I care? Not really.

I lost friends because of this job, my GPA suffered, and to this day, I still don't know whether half the people who call me their friend actually like me or just hang around because every once in a while, they might need me to slip something in the calendar.

Despite all that, I would do it again in a minute. I believe in everything the Famuan stands for, and love us or hate us, we're going to be around doing what we do every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

So as this semester ends, I can only say thank you to the people who have supported the newspaper through the good and the bad.

To the staff that labored away beside me, I say, thank you; you're the best in the world, and come February, we'll prove it once again.

We've been through so much together this semester. From members of certain organizations calling us unmentionable names, to members of a certain governmental organization expecting us to bend over backward to cater to them. From restraining yourselves when people started the Famuan hate group on Facebook, to standing strong when one of our own in the Famuan family was suddenly taken from us.

It's time for me to get off the roller coaster. I can only hope the next group of riders is ready.

Sidney Wright IV, a junior broadcast journalism student from Tampa, Fla., is the editor in chief of the Famuan. He can be reached at [email protected].

Posted Dec. 26, 2006