Each year, graduating editors are given 30 final column inches to reflect on their time at The Hatchet, published in the final issues of the year. Journalists historically used “-30-” to signify the end of a story.
You don’t need raw journalistic talent to work at The Hatchet – you just need to care.
I learned that lesson early on at GW. In October of my freshman year, I hurried back from a Halloween party to write a Hatchet story. It was one of my first – I’d heard students were being unnecessarily sent to the GW Hospital for intoxication, and I wanted to get the story right. I didn’t even bother to change out of my hot dog costume, and I ended up falling asleep with my hands on the keyboard, trying to get my first draft done.
Media Credit: Lindsay Paulen | Staff Photographer
Each year, graduating editors are given 30 final column inches – “30” was historically used to signify the end of a story – to reflect on their time at The Hatchet, published in the final issues of the year.
I came to GW shy and awkward but eager and ready to learn. I didn’t know where I would fit in but knew I wanted to join the student newspaper.
I don’t remember how it came to be, but I ended up in that musty townhouse basement during one of the first weeks of my freshman year for a photo meeting. As the year passed, I attended more meetings, usually sitting on the floor next to Arielle Bader, and took more and more assignments. I’m sure I was awkward, and I remember being a little scared of the older staff members, especially the ever so elusive Olivia Anderson. I remember being annoyed once because she asked me to redo a very simple assignment that I had messed up. It wasn’t until I worked with her later that
The Society of Professional Journalists named The Hatchet the best all-around student newspaper in a regional awards ceremony this weekend, in addition to 14 other honors.
Mark of Excellence award winners from Region 2, which includes collegiate newspapers in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and North Carolina, will move on to SPJ’s national competition in New Orleans this September.
The Hatchet won in the following categories:
Best all-around student newspaper: The GW Hatchet
Editorial writing: The GW Hatchet staff editorials by The GW Hatchet Editorial Board