UB Memories/ Miss Managing Editor

Part I: UB Memories


I may have mentioned before that I am in a class called Upward Bound Memories. This is a Newsletter/Yearbook class. There are about twenty some odd students in the class and we are divided into three groups. In each group there are about 6-8 students.

It is our job to put together a Yearbook for this Upward Bound session and to provide a newsletter each week. We were assigned different jobs within our groups and work together to get things done.

Each group is in charge of a certain thing every week. This week my group is in charge of yearbook. This means yearbook is our "main-event", if you will, or our "big-focus". We were given specific things to work on throughout the week dealing with the yearbook such as, layouts for the yearbook, interviews for other research classes, research class pages, etc.

Next week my group has newsletter. I am soooo stressed out. I know that we have like five days to work on this newsletter and three hours to work on it every one of those five days ,but I am still very "on edge". I don't know what I would do without the three hours to work.

Anywho, we have to put together a "functioning" newsletter. By functioning I mean more along the lines of well written articles, catchy fillers, fun columns, good looking layouts,and so on.

With all of the work that has to be done there needs to be someone in charge of it all.....someone to make sure that it all happens.....someone to boss other people around.......

Part II: Managing Editor


In each group there are five jobs....

1. the managing editor--it is their job to make sure that everything is finished and functioning on time. They are the "head-hancho" of the group.

2. Next is the copy editor-- it is the copy editor's job to make sure everything is proof read, corrected, and sounds right in the newsletter/yearbook.

3. The layout editor--he/she is in charge of the backgrounds for the newsletter and the set up of things. They have to get all of the pages for the yearbook ready too. (It's a lot of work!)

4. There are at least 3 reporters in every group--it is the reporters duty to give interviews, write articles, columns, fillers, help with other jobs, and get things in on their deadline.

5. The photographer-- it is the photographers responsibility to take ALL the pictures that we need for every article, column, yearbook page, etc.

I was made the managing editor in my group. This is quite a task for someone like me. I really don't like to "boss" others around and I don't like to tell people that their ideas don't always create a functioning newsletter or, quite frankly, that the idea is just not very good.Luckily, I don't have to worry about a whole lot of bad ideas, because I have really creative and amazing people in my group.

The stress is almost unbearable though. For those of you who know me fairly well, you would know that Jessica is not a very calm person when it comes to deadlines and especially being in charge.

I can barely take care of myself and getting the things done for school that should be done. I have absolutely NO idea why the teachers picked me to be in charge of six other people!

It has become a famous statement in my group to say, "I quit!" I sinceraly hope that I was not the one to spark that statement. If people wanted to quit because of me...I don't know what I would do. :( Anywho, every twenty minutes or so, you will hear someone in the room yell, "I QUIT!!" but it is only because they are having a hard time with what they are working on. I have said it several times because of writers-block, frusteration with the computer, anger problems with the printer, and sometimes just because I am tired.

Anyways...it all comes down to this-----
Does anyone have any advice for my very inexperienced self? I mean, have you ever had a really overwhelming job that just kills you to even think about it?
This job has been quite overwhelming, but I am learning to love it.