This calendar year, I will have read and edited more than 990 articles published by The Fordham Ram — at least twice. But I’ve smiled more.

Laughs are loud here in the postered confines of B-52, minds are delirious. Eyes strain from scouring a screen or print page for hours on end. Thumbtacks pin countless inside jokes on the walls, and there’s constant sound from the buzzing fan that scans the room with a breeze, but there’s rarely a lull in conversation. And it would be impudent of me to not mention B-48. These two rooms are 10 degrees warmer than the hallway between them, and the air smells like Pugsley Pizza.

It’s not easy nor stress-free, being Production Editor. I typically stay up until 3 a.m. after each Monday copy night, reviewing and making all final edits digitally, and I am up equally as late on Tuesdays, scanning all fifth-reads of the print pages until we’ve submitted them to the printer. Perhaps worst of all is my inability to eat the pizza that wafts in the air every Monday and Tuesday due to my lack of certain enzymes and proteins.

While this role destroyed my sleep schedule, it made me appreciate the hard work and sincere dedication that goes into putting out a newspaper each week. During my first year at Fordham University, I never thought much about the newspaper. I occasionally admired a print copy of The Fordham Ram, and simply went on my way. What I was — perhaps blissfully — ignorant of, was the fact that nearly 30 students had poured hours of their weeks into each paper: conversing with writers, content editing, fact checking, copy editing, creating graphics, formatting, editing the formatting — I could go on.

Sure, running a newspaper comes with a lot of stress. But each Wednesday, as I pick up a copy of our paper, I remind myself that I’m making a difference. Whether that be putting a smile on a student’s face because they got published, or because I aided in the publication of an important article, it reminds me that I’m doing something with my time here at Fordham. And knowing I was able to do that, at least a little, as Production Editor of The Ram, makes it all worth it.

The work of an editor typically receives no glory, simply a name in the acknowledgments, or listed on the masthead. But there would be no paper without our editors. Thank you Allison and Adithi, for running this paper in the spring semester, two-thirds of what I’d called “The Big Three.” And to every section editor who dealt with the copy team’s countless suggestions on articles and inconceivable amount of brackets and circles on their print page: Thank you for putting in the work and taking the time to adhere to our perfections, whether it be this semester or this year. The work of the copy team, especially, is only visibly noticeable to The Ram’s section editors. To them, the copy team is a number of Google Doc suggestions and colorful pen markings on a print page. All of us with our own unique color that we’ve kept since Issue 1. So there are some people I’d like to thank.

To the previous holder of the red pen, Emma: I am grateful for your willful dedication to this paper. To the mustard pen, Indigo; the orange pen, Emily; the light green pen, Caroline; and the teal pen, Julia, for stepping up to the role of Executive Copy Editors for the fall semester.

To the purple pen. Jonah, the writer of my favorite weekly article and my fraternal appendixless twin. I’m sorry for every unwelcome edit I made on your self-proclaimed “academic prose” in the herculean editorial every week. I love reading your writing, and I must admit — though I don’t think you’ll believe me — I’m going to miss it. We’ve come a long way from B-48!

To the green pen. Sarah, my trusty Copy Chief whom I’ve spent three days a week with for the past two semesters. I can’t wait to see all you do during your next couple of years at Fordham, especially at The Ram.

To the pink pen. Jacob, my right-hand man — literally. You never fail to make me laugh, whether it be from your common quips or uncanny impressions. From sitting next to me as my Copy Chief during the spring semester to joining me on e-board as Managing Editor this fall, I’m glad to call you my friend.

To the new red pen. Nora, who went from News Editor in the spring to Editor-in-Chief for the fall. I can’t necessarily say that I’m proud — because I would expect nothing less — but thank you for rising to the immense task of the job. I am elated, and so grateful, that you got to be Editor-in-Chief before you study abroad next semester, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing work you do in the future.

While I don’t know if I’m going to miss staying up late Mondays and Tuesdays, my eyes, mind and body exhausted, I do know that I’m going to miss the community that came with The Ram. Spending between 15 and 21 hours each week in B-52, nearly every black rolling chair occupied by co-workers-turned-friends, will always be looked back upon fondly. And I know for sure that I will not miss deleting Oxford Comma after Oxford Comma from articles.

With my head full of AP style rules and my heart full of love and pride for this team, I sign off with my blue pen,

SM