Andria Laitadze, Opinion Manager

TMP has undeniably added new dimensions to my thoughts. I joined as a sophomore with much to say but without quite the right tools to articulate it. The process, to me, has become all the more rewarding over the years. I’m not surprised that The Paper has changed how I write; I’m more surprised by the grand changes it has introduced to my thinking, that is, how I read an argument, how I structure my own position, and, by extension, how I deal with uncertainty before committing to a claim.

Responsibility for the procurement, editing, and distribution of articles is a serious accountability, one with consequences, since our readers do not inhabit some void inaccessible to us. The readers of TMP are the people who sit across from us at lunch, in our classes, and in the many spaces we share, rendering our honest, careful performance most crucial.

This year, with the theme of editorial writing, I’ve written about things that I’ve felt uncertain about. The discipline of committing to a view, putting my name on it, and seeing it in print, has taught me the value of avoiding excessive hedging in a world that rewards it. An argument requires structure, as a position itself is not enough on its own. I’ve learned to anticipate the reader who disagrees with me and to hold up under potential scrutiny. Being able to do that, with precision and evidence, will matter as the world grows increasingly overprocessed and dense with information and the strong opinions of others.

Editing other people’s work turned out to be its own education, a two-way street of sorts. Watching a writer grow and find their voice across a school year is something I’m proud to have been part of, while being something that has sharpened my own abilities, to say the least.

The people on the board have made all of these processes and countless others much more invigorating. This year’s team was sharp, genuine, committed, and hardworking, and I’m glad with every weekly meeting I’ve attended.

To whoever keeps TMP going in the future: you have the privilege to do something that matters incredibly. As such, treat it that way.

With love and gratitude,

Andria