The ‘Last First Time’ of Everything Here

By Dania Akkawi 

Editor-in-Chief 

I’ve struggled to write every single opinion editorial from the moment I was a deputy a year ago. And if you know me, then you know it’s because I don’t really like sharing my opinions on anything in general.

And nothing’s really changed since. Although I did think that since this would be my ‘last first’ opinion editorial of the semester’s first issue, I thought I would actually put in a bit more effort and at least try to write it earlier than I normally would.

I spent the entire summer telling my friends that I’d have this ready weeks in advance but obviously, that didn’t happen.

But then it hit me, this would really be the ‘last first’ issue of the semester for me. This would be the ‘last first’ production of the semester. As cliche as every “this is the last first day of classes” post on Instagram which almost every single graduating senior likes to post, it actually really hurts to say it out loud.

It didn’t really occur to me that I’d be feeling this way considering that every single week in fall 2019 all I wanted was to finish the issue on Thursday, turn off my phone and sleep. Knowing very well that this is the ‘last first’ time that The Caravan’s first issue of the semester is going to be my top priority doesn’t sit well with me.

And by top priority, I really do mean top priority, so if any of my professors are reading this, I am definitely not sorry that I skipped any of your classes this week. Also, if I actually have attended your classes this week, trust me I have no idea what you talked about because I was editing articles in the back row. I have zero regrets.

For the past two years, The Caravan has always been at the top of my list whether it’s because I am a reporter and my article is on the front page, whether it’s because I’m a deputy or whether it’s because I literally can’t leave the newsroom until we finish putting the issue to bed, like right now.

I know it’s far too early to be counting down the amount of issues we have left or the amount of online articles we are going to do, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say this is all that’s on my mind.

After the countless experiences I’ve had with internships in places that claim to do the news, I really don’t want to graduate. And hence, I am clinging on to every single thing I do in The Caravan from the beginning of the semester.

I know for a fact that this is the last time I am actually going to be confident putting my name on an article I worked on; this is the last time I work with people with this level of dedication and skills and definitely the last time I actually want to do my job.

With that, I really just want to enjoy what’s left of everything before I graduate. I wish I could do it without the thought of ‘graduating’ in my head, but the past weeks proved how impossible that has become.