"all the news that's fit to print."

Except the thing is, hardly anyone is "printing" anymore. Okay, maybe that is an exaggeration, there are (believe it or not, folks!) actual, real live newspapers out there. The kind that even have ink rub off on your fingers. I grew up surrounded by newspapers. For as long as I can remember my parents have been subscribed to our smaller local paper as well as The Washington Post. As a commuter now, I pick up the Express (a small mash-up of all the big stories of the day) and read it every morning. I always see people with actual newspapers on the way to and from work as well, it isn't just me! Why am I on this rant? I saw the semi-devastating news today that my college newspaper, The Circle is going to be mainly on the web now and will only have five paper issues for the whole semester. Now, I must admit The Circle's web site has come a LONG way, and it does look absolutely fabulous. Also, I get it. I get technology, that it's important to adapt, to know your audience, etc, etc. I just think that something should be said for the hard copy.

Personally, it was newspapers that fueled my interest in journalism. In high school, I took Journalism I and that class was about the only class throughout high school that sparked any sort of passion in me, so I kept with it and by senior year I was the Feature section editor. When deciding what to major in in college, I thought to myself, what is the one thing you are truly passionate about and want to follow for the next 4 years and beyond? Journalism, writing. So I did. I also joined the Circle staff as a copy-editor with my friend Jenn. I also got involved with writing, mainly for the news or feature section and by junior year I became co-news editor, first with Kristen and upon her graduation I shared the duty with Alyssa (my journalism soul-mate). The nights could be long laying out the page(s) or finishing a story but once the new issue came out every Thursday I felt such a sense of pride. I loved being able to go pick it up and look at the work of me and my fellow students. I loved getting extra copies so I could cut out a story I had written and add it to my portfolio. Needless to say, Jenn and I were a little more than disappointed to hear that the Circle would be cutting back their hard copies so much.

While I do understand the need to grow and change, I'm still always going to love having that newspaper ink on my fingers as I read the stories of the day.