By Kaylee Eiber
Graduating Editor-in-Chief
My first friends in Rampage were Lucas de Paula and Jessica Lu, my Editor-in-Chief partner and News Editor successor. From day one, we sat in the back of the classroom admiring the college banners and mourning the senior goodbyes. It feels like we were just agreeing how far away these felt yet here I am writing my senior goodbye, designing my banner, planning Rampage banquet and watching my new leadership publish Volume 70.
As much as I could rave about my own path, all I want to do is thank every Rampager who impacted my willingness to continue. My journey was nonexistent without the people who hauled me through: the staff that defined every grueling week of late nights, my forever favorite issues two and eight news table and especially my focus editor for dealing with my three a.m. Kaleumn submissions.
With all the struggle and stress Rampage caused, it also brought the utmost privilege of being Volume 69’s Editor-in-Chief. I am one of the fortunate ones, my passion for journalism actually growing throughout high school. As a sophomore staff writer, I can’t say it was my favorite class. It was, however, where I found redirection: I didn’t like writing specifically, but I LOVED everything else.
As news editor, I flourished under the content struggle and InDesign tribulations where others usually faltered. I joined my writers in their interviews with our amazing staff after my own experience connecting with my interviewees. My Volume 69 leadership team was perfect: Lucas and I dreamed of becoming EIC’s together as seniors, and we had our best friend and production manager, Joanne Su Chan, along with us through every moment.
When this publishes, it will be the last copy of the TCHS Rampage I add to my three-year collection. I will cross off the “publish something every issue” square on my senior year bingo. I don’t think it’s particularly sad, impactful or what I was even looking to write but it is irrevocably me: talking about the people I love.
I religiously lived on tchsrampage.com during every graduation season in an attempt to recreate Tuan Nguyen’s insightful farewell, Sierra Barrios’ gut-wrenching final words and every other goodbye. I’ve been waiting for three years to write my senior goodbye. As my own finally reaches the word count, I realize I could have waited a little longer. Regardless, Rampage Volume 69: BEASTED.