By Riamarie Panachikal
Over the next few weeks, nearly everyone you meet will have some advice to give you. A tidbit, a pro-tip, or even a Q-tip. There’s a lot that’s coming your way and this campus is not a quick read.
The question most of you wonder about is, ‘am I ready?’ There’s a lot to be discovered, and it helps to have a starting point.
Before I go on a tangent about the wonders of journalism and how essential community newspapers are, let me take a moment to catch you up on the very paper you are holding. This special edition of Imprint is called, the Orientation Edition. This paper has been carefully designed to answer all of your burning questions about student life.
When I entered first year, I was frequently swept up in worries. How will I manage commuting? Will I make friends? Will I carry myself with the confidence of Fat Amy or strive for perfection like Chloe?
Admittedly, there aren’t enough musical montages at UW, but there are plenty of opportunities to find friends and build a community. To get you prepped with the essential clues to solving these hairraising mysteries, we at Imprint have composed this edition for you.
Inside you will find introductions to a variety of topics from the common conundrums of residence life to managing your finances, and even a scavenger hunt. Yes, there are prizes to be won so keep flipping.
Before I continue, I would like to thank the many volunteers who helped make this edition a reality. You are about to read the works of many campus sages, all of whom have walked in your shoes, and want nothing more than for you to succeed.
Now, naturally being the inquisitive mind that you are, I imagine you’ve already asked yourself, ‘what is Imprint?’ In a nutshell, Imprint is the official student newspaper at the University of Waterloo.
We cover all your essential need to know information in our weekly publications. If you flip through, you’ll notice that the paper has seven distinct sections: news, arts and life, science and technology, sports and health, campus bulletin, opinion, and distractions.
Each paper features in-depth investigations into the nitty-gritty underbelly of student life. Penning and unraveling these grand mysteries are actually students just like yourself. We’re a completely volunteer-run organization.
Our journalists gain valuable experience writing in various styles, and interview subjects from campus leaders to regional politicians and even Chris Hadfield. Our creative team features photographers, layout and graphic designers, cartoonists, and crossword engineers. As I’ve come to learn, there will always be a spot within Imprint to exercise new curiosities.
Through Imprint, our volunteers interact with various organizations on and off campus. You’ll interview and engage with leaders from a variety of disciples including politics, engineering and science, social activism, academia, and the fine arts. As you’ve probably come to know, networking is one of the hot topics on our campus, and what better way to meet leaders in your disciple than to say you are a journalist moved by their contributions?
What’s more, Imprint also features information about positions on campus, including paid positions you can find within this very organization. Behind the printed magic in front of you, is a dedicated sales and marketing team who regularly hire each term. There are also paid leadership roles within our editorial board.
Now, I should clarify, Imprint deals with campus news and tackles the topics that define the student experience. I imagine some of you reading this might fancy yourself as a different kind of writer. Perhaps you spent your youth between the stacks of local libraries, writing poetry in cursive, and peddling fan fiction and favorite ships into the mischievous world of Tumblr. That’s okay, we actually have a spot for your unique voice and questionable imagination.
Within the Imprint Publications family is Quetzal. This creative online magazine features poetry, prose and photography. We accept submissions all term long. Plus, you will gain an opportunity to build your portfolio and declare yourself a bonafide published author on Linkedin.
Our newest venture is the Waterloo Journal of Environmental Science. Published on a termly basis, this magazine tackles vital issues facing our environment through unique perspectives. Authors discuss topics related to the environment from innovations in engineering to social movements to historical happenings, and artistic endeavours. Submissions are also peer-reviewed by professionals and professors within the discipline of the article submitted. This magazine will provide undergraduate students an opportunity to publish their academic research and essays in order to broaden the discussion around environmental well-being on campus.
On this note, I hope to see you stop by the Imprint Office one day. If an event on campus catches your eye, don’t wait for the citizen of the nobel grapevine to take action. Do it yourself, spread the word by volunteering with us.
