I was at a birthday party when I found out I was going to be the editor in chief of The Massachusetts Daily Collegian this semester. It was my girlfriend’s little sister’s seventh birthday party, and I can remember getting the phone call alerting me of my new job. I tried socializing with my girlfriend KJ’s relatives, but I must admit, my head felt like a tornado and my hands wouldn’t stop trembling. I went to grab a slice of pizza but realized the butterflies in my stomach wouldn’t have it. It was December 29. My mind was already in the Campus Center basement. I was excited.
UMass here I come.
At the end of my senior year of high school my college decision came down to UMass and one other school. It was a difficult decision, but there was one factor that gave UMass the edge – I heard it had a decent daily newspaper I could write for. Katherine Lemons, my high school journalism teacher told me all about it. She attended UMass as a graduate student and remembered reading this newspaper called “the Collegian.” She suggested I get involved.
I went to the Collegian newsroom as soon as I arrived at UMass and -to my surprise – got my first news story assigned to me. The editor assigned me a story about Christoffer M. Carstanjen, a computer research analyst who worked at OIT. Carstanjen was onboard flight 175 on September 11th, 2001. He was killed when his plane slammed into the second tower.
It was, at the time, the three year anniversary of 9/11. Like a true amateur I jotted down a list of questions I would ask one of Carstanjen’s former colleagues at OIT on a spiral notebook. I rehearsed the questions over and over again in my head. After the interview, I wrote the story, and e-mailed it to the Collegian news editor.
The next morning I rushed to the nearest dining commons and picked up a copy of the Collegian. My story was nowhere to be found. The following Monday morning I did the same thing. I ran down the stairs of my dormitory. I power-walked towards the DC. I weaved through the line of college students to the newspaper rack and once again, and picked up that day’s Collegian. There was my story. Right on the front page. I smiled, and then my eyes caught the byline.
UMass reflects on lost colleague
By Erica Athas, Collegian Correspondent.
ERICA! I finally made it to the front page of the Collegian – as a girl! A few jokes from my friends and family followed, and about 170 articles later, I’m over it. I don’t think I’ll ever forget seeing Erica Athas in print though.
The Collegian: My life
The next six semesters of my college would be spent primarily at the Collegian. I had the time of my life covering UMass sports. Whether it was cross country, swimming, softball, football, or basketball, it was always exciting. Driving 16 hours straight with two friends in a two-door Honda Civic to cover the UMass-Appalachian State national championship game in Chattanooga, Tennessee – and then turning around and driving straight back to Amherst was fun and miserable at the same time.
During my sophomore and junior years I began to focus on the news aspect of the paper. I cannot explain the thrill of covering this university. This transitioned me into becoming the managing editor, and then editor.
My experience as the editor was both the greatest time of my life and the most stressful. There were the sleepless nights, the frantic phone calls, the angry confrontations, and the frightening nightmares. There were the compelling interviews, the exhilarating stories, the hilarious pranks, and the incredible people. Through it all, I’d do it again in a second.
I’ve said this before, and I still believe it: The current staff of the Collegian is the best staff this paper has seen in years. OK, I’m biased in this sense, but me being editor aside, I’m serious. I want to thank everyone, but of course in the newspaper business we have this thing called space, so I can’t do that. I appreciate anyone and everyone who has worked with me throughout the years at the Collegian.
I’m only a junior though, which means I will be returning to UMass as a student next year. Although I will not be an editor, I plan on staying involved at the Collegian. My hope is to focus on in-depth projects I can dedicate time to. Regardless of the number of articles I write, and however many bylines I obtain with future employers, I will always have that moment in the morning. It’s that moment when I run down the stairs of my apartment and head for the nearest newspaper rack. There’s no better feeling than seeing your name in print. Lets just hope there’s not an “a” at the end of “Eric” anytime soon.
Eric Athas was the Collegian editor in chief. He can be reached at [email protected].
