Going from being a staff writer to being an Editor-in-Chief was a difficult transition to adjust to, but I am beginning to feel more comfortable with the role. As a staff writer, it was often hard to see how the magazine as a whole fit together because I only knew the parts I contributed to. As an editor, I edited each story multiple times and looked for connecting themes between them. When there were more spaces to be filled, I wrote stories myself. Along with the other editors, I helped shape the direction of each story, both text and design, and I always marveled about how far the stories had come from the beginning while flipping through the finished issue. 

​

My fellow editors and I sought to be nurturing, making sure everyone felt comfortable and prepared. We wanted everyone to feel connected to Verde and proud of the work we accomplished. And while it is not as easy to be nurturing and supportive when deadlines are approaching and people are behind in their work, we knew that this was the most important time to be reassuring, to help out, and to ensure writers were having a good experience. 

​

While none of us are perfect, we are constantly improving the process of each cycle to make it smoother. We hope this is reflected in each issue we have worked on.