It’s the same process every year.
The clock strikes midnight. The previous year becomes a memory of the past. And new goals and dreams take focus.
For a lot of people, a new year signifies another chance to improve — to accomplish what we failed or maybe missed in the year prior.
This semester marks the start of my term as editor-in-chief of The Daily Gamecock. And as I enter this role, I've realized I'm no stranger to this feeling.
With the positions I’ve held in the paper, I’ve always focused on what I don’t know. What do others have that I don’t? Which skills are my worst? In what ways am I not working hard enough?
After all, isn’t that how journalism — or even life in general — functions? There’s always something to chase and a desire to improve on what we lack.
Because of this, the new year can sometimes feel like a crutch rather than a relief. Instead of looking back on what I did accomplish, I fixate on what hasn't been done.
It's this pessimistic way of thinking that sometimes leads me to be unsure and doubtful of how I've performed in the positions I’ve taken on each year.
But what I’ve come to realize over the past few months is that doubt and insecurity don't help us reach our goals or improve. They prevent us from being able to fully excel in what we are passionate about.
Instead of motivating us to move forward, doubt holds us back — always looking for a way to prove that we aren’t deserving of our achievements.
Going into 2024, I’m tired of feeling this way.
I’m tired of consistently worrying that one wrong move or choice will prove to others that I don’t deserve to be in my role. I’m tired of second-guessing myself. And I’m tired of these thoughts blocking me from being proud of all that I have accomplished.
Over these last few weeks, I've realized I can appreciate how much I've grown in the almost three years I've been a part of this organization. I can take time to celebrate the positive changes our paper and staff have made over the past semester. And I can be proud telling people that I am The Daily Gamecock's 2024 editor-in-chief.
Setting goals and creating expectations for yourself will always be important, but it’s okay to take the time to recognize and appreciate your growth. It’s okay to tell yourself — and others — that you have worked hard to be where you are.
I hope that wherever you are in your journey at USC, you will take some time with me this new year to take a step back and take pride in how far you’ve come. It’s only then that we will be able to chase after what’s next, because we will have appreciated our past struggles.
So what is next? The Daily Gamecock needs the help of our community to reach our goals. Contact us if you have a story you think we should cover or a suggestion of how we could improve.
If joining The Daily Gamecock might be part of your “what’s next,” fill out an interest form and be on the lookout for more information for how you could be a part of the team.