Way back in the fall of 2024, I made a very consequential decision: walking past the rows of churches, clubs, and credit unions lined up alongside the sidewalk behind the Union building, I picked up and scanned a U Student Media flyer almost on a lark. I say “almost” because having worked my way through the better part of the cinematic canon, wallowing in the lichenous group chats, Discord servers, and Letterboxd comment sections at the margins of online film culture, I had, of course, entertained the idea of one day graduating to the big (or at least slightly bigger) leagues. Now that the opportunity had finally presented itself, my once-foolish flights of fancy suddenly seemed a lot more possible. A couple of questionnaires and interviews later, my application to join the Arts Desk of The Daily Utah Chronicle was accepted. All of a sudden, I was a genuine arts writer, a bona fide culture critic!
I joined the Chrony with a single purpose: to write about film, and maybe music here and there. I harbored no delusions that my efforts would bring any amount of fame, but figured at the very least I could practice my writing skills; besides, maybe this little newspaper gig could open a door or two somewhere down the line. Either way, it’s free CV real estate!
I have loved my time at the Chrony, from the very beginning. What began as a decision made off the cuff has blossomed into an experience I’ll treasure with me for the rest of my life.
Most people do not emerge at the beginning of their creative careers fully-formed, and I was certainly no exception. While it’s true that I came to the Chrony having already developed a certain sensibility and approach to writing, one of the great pleasures of any long-term undertaking is change. As I’ve taken on projects and stories of all kinds, weathering twists and turns at both the editorial and personal level, my perspective and appreciation for different kinds of art, and for how to write about it, have only grown. Covering new film releases, interviewing poets, talking to traditional dancers: beyond meeting a deadline, each story has taught me important truths about the depth and breadth of the human experience.
Balancing an open mind with a novel perspective is key not only to art or writing but to living a fulfilling existence, and it’s a balance that takes practice. In our highly stratified day-to-day lives, seeking out new and challenging experiences can not only feel impossible but even undesirable. Why watch an older film in a different language, or read a difficult classic novel, or attend an event from a culture that is not one’s own? Why do any of these things when corporations and culture industry titans are doing their best to prevent us?
My intention with this farewell piece is not to insult or demean anybody’s taste: like what you like! I only mean to share that, if my time writing for the Daily Utah Chronicle has taught me anything, it’s that the world is a bigger and more diverse place than you could ever imagine. When it comes to the arts, there is always more to discover. With film specifically, as I’ve taken the time to teach myself to understand this great art form at the deeper and deeper levels of form, composition, and structure, my appreciation for it has only skyrocketed. Art is important; learning to understand art is imperative.
As I write this, I struggle to come up with an overarching statement of purpose, a grand theme that can sum up two years of work, two years of missed and postponed deadlines, of projects that never got off the ground, of late nights struggling and failing to write a single word. I will instead leave the readers with this: stay true to yourself. Be teachable, but never compromise on who you are or what you stand for. Remember the classics. Every experience, miserable or sublime, is another opportunity to learn, to see things from another angle. And finally, if you have something to say, get out there and say it! Difficult and strange as balancing my biochemistry coursework with the demands of the Arts Desk has been at times, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
If you see a Student Media desk at the next University fair and have even an inkling to stop by, do it. Take it from me: you won’t regret it.
