Samantha Chaffin

Editor-in-Chief

Three years ago, I applied as a staff writer at The Bengal after hearing about the opportunity from then-Editor-in-Chief Princess Young.

At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I figured I would apply and perhaps earn a position as a staff writer that I could continue with throughout my collegiate career at Idaho State University. When I was offered the position from incoming-Editor-in-Chief Nicole Blanchard I had no intention, really, of trying to climb through the ranks… but then I fell in love.

During my first semester at The Bengal, I had the opportunity to work with an amazingly talented staff, to tell the stories of some amazingly awesome people, and to learn more than I could have ever dreamed of. I fell in love with the passion, the drive, and the experience that was this paper and the people who were a part of it.

Before I knew it, the editor-in-chief position had opened up for applications.

When applying, I knew being selected was a long shot: I was a first-year staff writer without much prior journalism experience, I had only been on staff for just over a semester and I was still learning. That said, I was hesitant to get my hopes up, but I had never wanted anything more in my life. 

The day of my interview for the position remains engrained in my mind. 

I was the last candidate to be interviewed, among several undeniably talented individuals. I walked out of a conference room full of accomplished, knowledgeable and intimidating people after my interview—utterly and completely shell-shocked, I might add—and I headed home to eat dinner.

My phone was still on silent from the interview, and I didn’t hear it ring when The Bengal adviser Jerry Miller called. He left a voicemail.

Terrified, anxious, and excited, I listened to the voicemail in which he told me the news: I had been selected to shadow then-Editor-in-Chief Nicole Blanchard in her last semester as editor that fall and would then move forward as the next editor-in-chief for the spring and the following academic year.

Commence jumping, screaming and crying hysterically at my dining room table in my upstairs apartment.

Once the shock had worn off, my elation turned to panic.

I knew the caliber of candidates who had interviewed for the position, and I readily admit to this day that I felt there were better choices for editor-in-chief. I also knew that I had two huge sets of shoes to fill as the incoming-editor-in-chief who would follow Princess Young and Nicole Blanchard, respectively, and I wasn’t sure that I could do it.

Thankfully, the committee didn’t see it that way… and here we are.

The time I’ve spent at The Bengal has been amazing, terrible, disheartening, enlightening, disappointing, inspiring, frustrating and exciting all at once.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful and talented individuals in my three years here and I’ve been inspired by them and their work.

I’ve also made some great connections with both staff members and members of the university and community as a whole. That said, even on the days that the adjectives I would use to describe my time at The Bengal were less than positive, I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. 

I gained so much incredible experience in every sense of the word: life experience, work experience, learning experience, management experience, you name it.

And even on the worst days, I know I’ll look back and think of these as some of my best days.

Even when I hated it, I loved it… but mostly I loved it.

Acting as the editor-in-chief of The Bengal is the absolute definition of a love-hate relationship, and I know by this time next year, todays incoming-Editor-in-Chief Chris Banyas will understand what I mean.

I am so infinitely grateful to so many family members, friends, professors, supervisors, coworkers, mentors and all of the people in between and beyond who have supported me and taught me so much during my time here. If I were to list names, this editorial wouldn’t end for pages, but I hope and trust that you know who you are and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.  I can’t thank you enough.

I’ve learned so much from my experiences here at ISU and after all of the times I spent just waiting for class to end and the days that I couldn’t wait to graduate, to actually see it all coming to an end is a bittersweet and surreal feeling that I’m not entirely sure what to do with.

Those who know me know that I don’t deal well with change, but we all know that change is a necessary, constant and unavoidable part of life. For me, everything is about to change and, once again, I have to find my way, just like each and every other graduate in the class of 2015.

With any luck, hopefully I can find my way into another The Bengal and be just as lucky as I’ve been this time around to be inspired and to thrive.

Until then… here’s to a bittersweet ending and new adventures. Congratulations, grads! We did it. 

Thanks for reading.