I tried my best not to run up the steps of Kerckhoff Hall. I approached the foyer of Kerckhoff 118 gingerly. I knew that the prognosis was not good. Much to my surprise, I found my name after staring at the list of accepted photojournalism interns for the better part of two minutes. It was too good to be true. This must have been a typo.
It took four years to come around to accept that perhaps it wasn’t just a typo that put me on that list. It was the fact that my editors believed in that nervous, overenthusiastic bundle of nerves that was me on my interview day. At least I’m guessing it was that, since my portfolio at the time consisted of photos of flowers and my pets.
The most important thing I will take away from the windowless (and for a period of time, carpetless) office is what my four years at The Bruin taught me. The Daily Bruin has always been somewhere I found people who believed in me and people who believed in something better than themselves.
I almost didn’t apply to the Daily Bruin because I was sure I wouldn’t make it. I barely had down the basics of photography, and I most certainly didn’t believe I’d find my niche in that whirring office where everyone knew so much and seemed so in place. Looking back at my cringe-worthy application, that less-experienced, better-rested and utterly clueless version of myself doubted that I would ever make it this far. But that’s what the Daily Bruin does. It brings out the best of you.
After I learned a few lessons about photography, such as how to hold a camera properly, how to turn a poster board into a reflector and how to create a studio for tacos in the trunk of a car, I found myself turning in my assistant Photo editor application for a second time. It took everything I had to go through the process again, with the possibility of a second rejection. Except I remembered I almost didn’t apply to The Bruin in the first place, and that would have been the biggest mistake of my college career. So naturally, knowing I wasn’t the strongest candidate and I did not know much about Photoshop, I expected the call I received the following week. It started, “I’m so sorry …” The second half of that sentence, however, was an unexpected “… that you’re an assistant editor next year.”
Over the next two years, I’ve held two editor positions, which has inevitably had added perks: overnight shifts, a newfound love for coffee and the opportunity to photograph Hillary Clinton and Coldplay. Admittedly, I’ve enjoyed the latter two benefits over the former two. Walking past that foyer of Kerckhoff has become automatic. Kerckhoff 118 to me is where there is never a dull moment, somewhere I simultaneously find a sense of purpose and a source of refuge. I began to watch myself transform into one of those purposed editors with a job to do and limited time in which to get it done. What once seemed unachievable had become normal.
As I fell into this routine, I began to take notice of a sign that is hung by our editor in chief’s office that reminds us to be bold (and italic). The Bruin has come a long way due to our boldness. In the past year, I have had the opportunity to watch our boldness win us a Pacemaker award. The Bruin has a history of excellence that we simply fell into. Late runs left me in the office past deadline a few times, and the one thing that never ceased to amaze me was how the office is never empty.
If there is one thing I carry with me, it is the sense of pride that The Bruin has instilled in me for the work we do. This pride made the extra hours, cups of coffee and few nights donated to the office all worth it. In the years to come, flipping through our award-winning magazine will remind me of this important lesson I learned during my time here.
Though my time here has come to an end, I find the values I’ve learned from this one small bit of campus are virtually boundless. One thing remains certain: The Daily Bruin most certainly takes you places. Through that foyer of Kerckhoff 118 was where I found a home on this campus. It was where my editors believed in me and where I found confidence in myself.
Agnijita Kumar was the prime photo editor from 2014-2015, an assistant Photo editor from 2013-2014 and a Photo contributor from 2011-2013.