Hello fellow Commodores, 

My name is Sarah Friedman, and I’m the Editor in Chief of the Hustler. As a member of the class of 2019, just two short years ago, I stepped foot on Vanderbilt’s campus for the first time, and I was frazzled as could be.

As a high school newspaper Editor in Chief, I spent many hours and late nights in the newsroom, managing a publication at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, MD known as the Black & White. I wanted my college experience to be different—I wanted to learn something new, spend my time crafting unique experiences, and meet an eclectic mix of people. I promised myself that no matter how strong the temptation for familiarity was, I wouldn’t join the college newspaper.

I promised myself that no matter how strong the temptation for familiarity was, I wouldn’t join the college newspaper.

Well, less than two weeks into my time at Vanderbilt, I had written my first article for the Hustler. By the end of the month, I was consistently writing for two sections. By the month after that, I had become the assistant to the News editor, Zoë Shancer, who ended up becoming my most influential mentor at Vanderbilt. What can I say? I just have a true calling for correct comma usage and AP style.

In all seriousness, though, through my time with the Hustler, I have accomplished so much of what I set out to do as I was starting a four-year adventure at this school two years ago. I’ve learned about hundreds of nooks and crannies of campus and have had the excuse to ask all the questions I’ve ever wanted. Every day is a fun surprise, and my college experience has been anything but familiar. I’ve met some of the most inspiring, caring, and wise people I’ve ever known through interviews for the Hustler, some of whom have shaped my life more than I ever could have expected. In fact, it was a Hustler interview that served as the catalyst in my search for my own sexual identity my first year, and my eventual coming out as lesbian earlier this year.

Is this all part of my grand scheme to convince all of you to join the Hustler? Well, sort of—that would make me the happiest human alive. But really, what I’m trying to get at is that while it’s easy to get caught in the “new year, new me” mindset as classes start back up, it’s important that we all remember to follow our calling and do the things we enjoy, even if that’s not something that appears to be crazy and new every time. When everything is changing, we learn about ourselves as we examine the way we approach the things that remain the same.

I can’t wait to lead the team that will serve as your inside source to the goings on at Vanderbilt this year, and it is my goal to get to know as many of you as humanly possible before someone has to tear me away in two years. If you’re interested in becoming a part of this motley crew, feel free to send me an email ([email protected]) or even text/call me on my cell (301-980-2615). The Hustler will also be having an information session next Sunday, August 27, which I would love to see you all come out to (even if it’s just for the free pizza.) Upperclassmen—it’s never too late to join, and I would love to sit down with you and tell you why having the Hustler on your resume is so attractive and why you’ll have the time of your life working with us.

And with that, good luck to all on your first day of classes. Hold the door for everyone, keep saying “yes,” and take everything seriously—you can’t go wrong.

All the best,