From the Editor: The Runner helped me grow as a journalist and person

I have never left an assignment until the last minute. The academic validation-seeking eldest daughter in me wouldn’t let me do that — except for this editorial — but I suppose there’s a first time for everything. 

I started my journalism degree at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 2022. I would see issues of The Runner around campus and pick them up whenever I could. I finally understood people who were into collectibles.

I had never imagined or thought that I would be one of the people on the masthead. I was curious to see how the art, photographs, words, and comics came together — I just couldn’t put the paper down.

As soon as I saw a staff opening for the community writer position, I applied (with some good old “friendly” South Asian parental pressure). Despite being in my first semester — with little-to-no writing experience under my belt — I was aghast when I was selected for an interview. If you read my half-a-page-barely-there resumé, you would understand why. And so, it began. 

For someone badly trying to fit in as an international student, I had walked myself into an opportunity where I was far from doing that — thank God. I was surrounded by a room full of artists, writers, and creatives whose passion seeped through their work. 

And I, well, was still struggling to find my voice — quite literally. I was scared of interacting, speaking up, talking, and more or less expressing myself. 

But becoming a part of The Runner pushed me to do things I wouldn’t have done solely as a student. It pushed me into journalism before I knew how to do “it.” And this is why the best time to do something is when you’re not prepared for it — at all. 

I started looking forward to production Fridays like you would when you impatiently wait for the next episode of your favourite TV show to drop. The days between felt like the commercials I didn’t want to pay attention to — sorry not sorry. 

There were times I wanted to be in the office not to work, but just to physically be there. It was like a safe space with all the things that I loved crammed together in a small — and well-lit, I should add — room. Plus, being at the office felt like a bonus behind the scenes that I wasn’t supposed to see but did. 

Every time I’ve entered this room over the past four years, I’ve seen storytellers in our staff and felt connected to them. Every time I’ve read the newspaper, whether it was over and over again during production weekends or just because I wanted to, I felt like a storyteller, creator, and artist. 

As a person of colour and woman, I am proud to say that The Runner’s editorial board and team is now representative of the lived experiences of KPU’s diverse student population. Becoming the representation that I wanted to look up to has fulfilled me during my time on this team. 

Whether you’re a journalism student or not, if by some chance you stumble upon The Runner, I hope you find a place where you can just be yourself — like I did. 

Now individualists, in my humble and very biased opinion, will make up abhorrent lies about how no one will come and save you. But I will tell you that this place quite literally did. So go do whatever you think you can’t because it might just be what you need.