Nearing the end of my junior year, it would have been seven years of my experience in communications. In the world of journalism however, its been about two years since I got my role as a coverage staffer on the Yearbook at my middle school, writing stories and transcribing interviews by a unique the student body, straying far from my comfort zone, providing challenge and growth up to present date. This year, when I started on my second ever publication, this time as a design staffer, its safe to say I didn’t know what to expect. What I did know was that it would potentially be more rigorous and strict than the deadlines that I was used to, but what I didn’t expect was just how much I’d learn and appreciate the sheer amount of effort and labor it truly takes to earn the name of a respectable publication not just on a local scale, but on a national one too. Being a design staffer for the first time I was looking forward to create engaging and illusive spreads, stemming from my passion for design, for the student body to make them feel seen, sparking genuine interest on our publication which would help take it to great heights. At first, it was quite a struggle getting used to the jampacked task cycles of the Muse and the immense amount of communication between staffers in order to attain all of the necessary elements and ideas in order to put in onto the page and publish it for readers to see. More specifically, on one of my very first issues on this publication I was assigned two spreads to complete, one of which was the lead story and extremely important in terms of proper layout and design, requiring thorough planning and execution. Along with trying to adjust for my second year of high school and the workload that followed, spending multiple hours in class and at home in order to finish up spreads from the layout to the graphics, I soon realized how incredibly different this experience was from my previous one. But, with the guidance of other staffers and my fellow editors I was able to receive the proper support and reassurance that I was valued for my feelings and surely others were feeling the same, providing a sense of community, a crucial factor contributing to the success of publications, with moral understanding. Over time however, my struggles with design components such as layouts and indecent planning became my ultimate strengths, allowing me to feel proud and confident with my designs, utilizing individual creativity and flow, without being afraid of the end result, which no matter what, could always be altered to fit the vision that I’ve always had in my mind. Watching my love and skills for design growing on the daily, whether it be through my learning logs which sometimes consisted of me learning from other design platforms such as Photoshop or experimenting with different graphic and typography styles on spreads, I decided that it was something that I not only wanted to continue, but to teach to others who shared a similar spark. Hence, I decided that there was no better way to give back to a community that taught me most of what I know now, and apply to become the design editor for the Muse. Even with all of the confidence that I had built through most of this year, I was constantly debating with myself on the idea of myself as a leader. I was confident in my abilities as a designer, but carrying the responsibility of a potential number of staffers on a skillset that they would often seek from none other than myself, was a terrifying thought as I went through the application process. Conveniently enough, when I was chosen for a position that I was so very passionate towards I knew that even if I wasn’t ready in the moment, with advice from experienced design staffers and fellow editors, would help guide me in the right direction with my staffers who I hope to nourish with my knowledge of design, while helping them find their own styles and wisdom through their own experiences, similar to what I had done with mine this present year. Now in junior year, as Design Editor I am able to share and teach my knowledge and passion for graphic design and illustration with my staffers, both new and returning. With a small section especially, I am able to foster a sense of connection and aid all of my staffers with any difficulties they may be experiencing with design overall as well as providing ample one on one advice and build a sense of trust and community over time. Although at first, the workload that came being with an editor felt off putting and worrisome for someone who was about to enter one of the most tumultuous years of highschool, overtime I learned to manage my time better and create a schedule for myself working with my staffers during class and providing that face to face interaction that they require in order to work programs such as InDesign, which can be difficult to work on without optimal interaction, while setting my own work off to process at home. This has created a drastic improvement in my growth mindset and mood as Design Editor proving to myself that my experience throughout the year will only make my role more efficient and improved.