The Granite Tower (GT) is a voluntary student publication. Everything that GT publishes, photographs, and records are voted yay or nay under the assorted influence of both democratic voting and engraved traditions, set by preceding reporters whose range encompasses the entirety of GT’s extended history. A present group of reporters has little more to rely on than the presence of fellow reporters or sunbae reporters who came before them. Under such an autonomic system, the dependable presence of the board of editors is both a necessitated source of authority and the impetus for the new direction of the publication. A change of editor leadership, which happens at the end of each semester, heavily dictates how the subject matter and the general atmosphere of the magazine may fare for the next semester. As the end of the semester dawns, GT spoke to the club's current board of editors about their time in leadership: editor-in-chief Jie Yeowon (‘21, International Studies) and associate editors Kwon Keun Young (‘20, Health Policy and Management) and Park Soo Hyun (‘20, Psychology).

What It Takes for Renovation

The 2022 fall semester has been a particular period of colorful changes within GT, with the complete conversion back to face-to-face events, expanded employment of social media, and renovated office facilities, to name a few. “It is insane how many different things the current board of editors tried out in the span of a semester,” said Yeowon, “Attempting them was very important for us as we learned and grew from that experience and recorded takeaways for the prospective board of editors to build off of.”

Fulfilling responsibilities allocated to the role of editors, especially during such a tumultuous period of conversion, was not without its difficulties. “The three of us were left to maintain a magazine without any adult guidance, and that was a lot of pressure,” said Keun Young, “Having to jump into everything headfirst without precedents and establish structure during such an uncertain time was very difficult.”

Jobs one is expected to complete as an editor extend beyond the intellectual tasks of editing articles and purposing new ideas. “What you do not expect going into this job is how much physical work is entailed in the duties of editors,” commented Yeowon, “Whether managing press coverage for the annual Ko-Yon Games or organizing tons of newly printed articles, the physical burden can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.” When met with a new array of responsibilities, balancing everything requires practice. “I had to make sure that I use my time wisely in accomplishing the tasks given to me in GT and simultaneously maintaining my studies and job,” said Soo Hyun.

To Last a Lifetime

The memories acquired from going through every obstacle with the support of a set group, however, may be the most invaluable thing one gets from any position. All three editors agreed that the Summer Training Sessions, held before the start of every semester to train Cub reporters and expand the expertise of Junior and Senior reporters, were the most memorable event hosted within their time. “The Summer Training Sessions were the first event we handled as editors, which made it unforgettable. The sessions allowed me to properly reflect upon myself and motivated me to want to become a good leader,” recalled Keun Young. “Although we were all very sleep-deprived, we talked a lot about our aspirations for GT and the vision we had for GT,” added Yeowon, “I was surprised to see how ambitious my fellow editors were and became very excited about the different projects we’d be conducting during our time as editors.”

Taking responsibility for and setting the direction of a publication is a feat not many can relate to, and it comes with its unique benefits. “I’ve become a better writer, I’ve made many friends in different areas of study, and I've learned how to appreciate others and be passionate about what I am given,” reflected Soo Hyun. “There are just so many things that I could learn from each member of GT — they all have their unique characteristics.”

To Future Editors…

Both to their immediate successors and the future lineage of hoobae reporters who are to continue GT’s mission for decades to come, the three editors shared their advice for those who would be in their shoes in the future.

Yeowon: Do not be afraid of making mistakes and reaching out for help. Communication and maintaining honesty with the people you are working with are crucial to establishing a friendly workplace environment.

Keun Young: Try new things and have courage. Employ your experiences and capabilities without doubting them, and communicate well with your fellow editors.

Soo Hyun: Accomplish everything you want without regrets. Make new projects you have been wanting to do, all you need to do is just start.