T

he summer before my freshman 
year, I worried about what I was 
going to do in college. There 

was so much pressure to grow, to get 
involved, to build that résumé. One day, 
I received a copy of The Michigan Daily 
in the mail. And I thought: Why not? As 
a questioning, indecisive, undeclared 
English major, getting involved with 
journalism was probably a good idea.

But there was a problem. I didn’t like 

journalism. The thought of writing for a 
newspaper scared me. I liked to write, 
but I didn’t like to write articles. I felt 
like I couldn’t report news brilliantly or 
state strong opinions eloquently. I didn’t 
like the idea of being forced to write a 
certain number of pieces by a deadline. 
So much for that.

However, as I was browsing The 

Daily’s website, I found a section that 
stopped me mid-scroll: Copy Desk. I read 
the description, and I knew this was the 
role for me. I sent an email asking how 
I could join the copy desk and received 
an answer back from the copy chief. I 
starred the email and spent the rest of 
my summer keeping this job in the back 
of my head, looking forward to applying.

Before I knew it, I arrived on campus. 

I found The Daily at Festifall. I attended 
the mass meeting. I took the copy quiz. 
I shadowed shifts. I took the post-test. I 
got the job.

“When do you get promoted to writing 

articles?” many of my friends obliviously 
asked when I explained my new job to 
them.

“No,” I would reply. “I applied to be 

a copy editor. I don’t want to write — I 
want to edit.”

This 
response 
is 
often 
met 
by 

confusion and polite, though piteous, 
chuckles. Who wants to fact-check 
news and opinion articles and correct 
grammar and style? How is that fun for 
anyone?

I didn’t realize how much I wanted 

to be a copy editor until I received the 
email congratulating me that I was in. 
Many of my fellow copy editors walked 
into the newsroom with the intent of 
joining another section — news, opinion, 
sports, arts — with the hopes of actually 
writing articles. I went in knowing the 
only thing I wanted to do was edit them. 
I made a beeline for the copy desk after 

the mass meeting, frantically avoiding 
all the other sections. Now, every time 
I go in for my shift, I make that same 
beeline.

I love words. I love English. And 

the copy desk offered me the perfect 
opportunity to do something I was 
passionate about in a way that I was 
comfortable doing.

But, my anxiety towards article-

writing kept coming back to bite me. 
There was a voice in the back of my head 
— an echo of everyone around me — 
telling me that the work I do is inferior 
to the work I am editing.

Now, I know that voice is full 

of lies. The copy desk, one of the 
quietest sections in the newsroom, is 
my favorite section. There is a much 
underappreciated need for copy editors, 
and I enjoy the work I do. I don’t need 
to be on the frontlines interviewing 
the lead singer or star running back or 
presidential candidate to leave my mark 
on The Daily. In fact, the mark I leave 
from behind the copy desk is arguably 
more important.

But, college really is about getting 

involved and overcoming fears. And 
with that, we are here. I am happy to 
report that I have accomplished the 
one thing I wanted going into college — 
joining the copy desk — but I have also 
accomplished the one thing I wanted to 
avoid going into college — writing for 
The Daily. With this Copy That, I have 
conquered that fear.

There are no objective facts here 

that can be fact-checked, yet they are 
undeniable facts to me. There is no 
strong, controversial opinion here, yet I 
feel strongly about this position.

For some people, Copy Desk is a 

backup option. For many more, Copy 
Desk is misunderstood. For me, Copy 
Desk is right where I belong.

This is my article, one I wrote rather 

than edited. And one article is enough 
for now. Baby steps — even though this 
a giant leap for me.

So, thank you, Copy Desk, for 

giving me everything I wanted — and 
everything I didn’t want as well.

2B

Managing Statement Editor:

Brian Kuang

Deputy Editors:

Colin Beresford

Jennifer Meer

Rebecca Tarnopol

Photo Editor:

Amelia Cacchione

Editor in Chief:

Alexa St. John

Managing Editor:

Dayton Hare

Copy Editors:

Elise Laarman

Finntan Storer

Wednesday, March 14, 2018// The Statement 

Copy That: The article that was never 
supposed to exist

statement

THE MICHIGAN DAILY | MARCH 14, 2018

BY ANGELA LIN, DAILY COPY EDITOR

ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH MYERS

