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