My friends accuse me of having “Daily Orange Stockholm syndrome.”

I deny it — obviously. But yet I flinch at the three characteristic pops of getting tagged on Slack, make my friends stop so I can photograph any firetruck near Syracuse University’s campus, bring my laptop to dinner because I didn’t file a story on time and still find myself lurking on “news_copy” even when I’m not in-house.

So maybe they’re right — but not because The D.O. has trapped me. Maybe I’m the one holding on to the version of Julia that exists here. I don’t want to let her go.

Three years, one initially-unexpected semester as news editor, one whirlwind semester as enterprise editor and nearly 130 bylines later, it’s time to leave D.O. Julia behind — for real this time.

More than the dorms I called home, the football games I attended or the grades I earned, The D.O. became the part of college that shaped me most. Looking back on freshman year, when I called my mom weekly in tears because I felt like I couldn’t keep up in Newhouse, I never would’ve imagined becoming so integrated into the paper I once dreamed of joining.

I want to thank everyone I met at this paper for always pushing me, trusting me with reporting opportunities over the years, and welcoming me exactly as I am. I’ll cherish every memory I made in 230 Euclid — even the difficult ones (I call them character building).

I love this place, and most importantly, I love you all more than words can describe. I’ll try my best:

—

Kendall: I genuinely believe you’re perfect. I remember feeling terrified walking into your newsroom and seeing how many returners there were, but your positivity and welcoming nature immediately put me at ease. The way you extend kindness to everyone who steps inside 230 Euclid, and the way you maintain your composure while handling things 99% of college students never have to face, has always amazed me. I’ve always looked up to you, even though we’re the same age, and I’ve always known you’re destined for great things. Thank you for being the one to first bring me in-house, and thank you even more for welcoming me back this year.

Rose: You probably don’t remember this, but I’ll never forget hiding out with you and the culture staffers at my first Media Cup — when no one from news had shown up yet. I think that says everything about who you are. You make me smile every time I get to talk to you, which has thankfully been a lot more often than when we lived in the same building freshman year. Your understanding of people carries into your writing; whenever I see a “Rosina Boehm” byline, I know it’ll be good. I’m sure I’ll feel the same way about anything you write after graduation.

Sammy: I say this to you all the time (even in my most recent LinkedIn comment), but you’re a rockstar. You’re effortlessly cool, always finding a way to dive deeper into every project you take on. You could probably charm a brick wall. And, most impressively, you’re almost frustratingly nonchalant about your talent. I couldn’t have asked for a better co-enterprise editor — or New York City Benchmark Trip roommate — this year. I’m forever grateful for the amount of times we’ve gotten to work together.

Griffin: You were the first familiar face I recognized at our first news meeting as sophomores, all thanks to MAX 132 and Sadler Hall. We were both thrown into the deep end that first in-house semester, and I was grateful to have someone to swim alongside — someone who got it. Thanks for humoring me when I’d complain to you and Ahna about our coverage load and bylines. Your innovative spirit feels limitless, and I know you’ll do great things. And I forgive you for not being able to staff write while I was news editor.

Duncan: I’ll always see you as my protégé, my news son. Our paths through The D.O. are strikingly similar — starting as Student Association beat writers, jumping to assistant news editors, becoming news editors, going abroad and eventually moving on to enterprise. Just like your news editor semester, I know you’ll take what came before and do it even better. I’m so grateful we had the chance to work together again, even briefly and in Buffalo. Keep holding this university accountable for me.

Delia: Miss incoming editor-in-chief, words can’t express how proud I am of you. Would it surprise you to know I’ve always seen you as management material — probably since we first worked together? Your calm under pressure, your ability to handle the craziness of this past fall, and your general loveliness are unmatched. It’s always a joy working with you, but even more of a joy getting to be your friend. Keep slaying!

Kate: After coming back from Barcelona (shoutout to our blogging class), I didn’t know how much I’d end up seeing you again. Thankfully, it was a lot. Working together on the major pauses story was a highlight of my senior year, and it was so exciting watching you and Sammy do so much work on the follow-up. Even though I’m from fake Philly — also known as South Jersey — I hope we can hang out again sometime. Fins després!

Brenne: You started writing for The D.O. while I was abroad, but in the few times we met last fall, I knew you had the potential to go far at this paper. You’re fearless. I’ll always remember you as the assistant who wasn’t afraid to tear up my stories, and I absolutely loved you for it. You were even more ambitious and strong-willed as a news editor. This semester especially, I saw your natural leadership firsthand, all while still keeping your sense of humor. Please enjoy your well-deserved break in the “campus community!”

Arabella: We have some shared trauma (that I can’t go into here), but I’ve always felt like we were on the same wavelength. I loved the way you turned a pretty mundane Bird Library sensory room story into something genuinely engaging—and your writing has only continued to grow since. You also bring such a positive, light energy into the newsroom, something that will surely serve you well as news editor. Please remember that all of us past news editors are in your corner, especially when the job feels like too much. I truly look forward to seeing what you accomplish next semester.

Fall ‘24 News Staff: I feel maternal towards all of you, truly. Several of you were gone for a large portion of this year, so I may not get to say goodbye in person (other than in my previous duck), but just know I would not have survived fall 2024 without your relentless dedication and vitality. We were part of a broader shift in D.O. newsroom culture that I’m proud of — as evidenced by the mochi fidgets still stuck to the ceiling. I can’t wait to keep cheering you all on from the sidelines.

Fall ‘25 and Spring ‘26 News Staff: Sammy and my enterprise editor semester wouldn’t have been possible without you all. You produced so many jaw-dropping print A1s that, at times, I felt like you didn’t even need us. Whenever I took a story this semester — especially a co-byline or collaborative piece — I looked forward to coming in-house and seeing how effortlessly you all bounced ideas off each other. To Viv, Chloe, Arabella, Priya, Owen, Laura, Remi, Madeline, Ally, Henry, Shivika, Kate, Sydney and Brenne — thank you for making my senior year so special.

Roxanne, Claire, Faith and Ahna: My time with each of you ended in different ways, but you’ve all left a lasting mark on my D.O. journey. Each of you has your own talents that continue to shine through, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I’ve learned something different from each of you along the way, and I can’t fight the overwhelming sense of nostalgia when we cross paths. I hope I get to see you all again, whether at graduation or in the industry.

Zak and Kaia: The co-head editor bond is something I’ll never forget. You both, along with Rose, kept me sane while I was news editor. Zak, your commitment to The D.O., even as a senior staffer, is unparalleled. Kaia, it was a pleasure working with you, and you’re probably smarter than both of us for knowing when to leave at the right time. As we approach graduation, I hope I still get to see you around.

Cassie: I never expected one of our closest collaborations to happen outside The D.O., but I’m so glad it did. Our trip to Oswego this spring was quirky, to say the least, but incredibly fulfilling. I would’ve been an awkward mess without your experience doing a museum walkthrough to guide me. And now you’re off to do even more meaningful work with the Peace Corps. ¡Qué lo disfrutes!

Stephanie & Cooper: Thank you so much for taking a chance on me — even if it meant pulling me into archives and encouraging me to take on the news editor role. Hearing it from you both made it easy to trust. Stephanie, you’ve always had a professional aura about you, which is why you’re booked and busy today. Cooper, everything you write is incredible and has somehow made me genuinely interested in sports (despite knowing very little about them). As always, keep killing it!

Anish & Kyle: Admittedly, I was always slightly scared of you both — but in a good way. You set the tone for what it meant to be a strong newsroom leader for me. Your advice still sticks with me to this day, whether it’s keeping one headphone out at all times to listen for potential stories or that the AP Style form of “okay” is actually “OK.”

Lars: I’m still mortified that I cried to you during our last Duck Night, but I hope I’ve shown you since then that I’m pretty stable 95% of the time. We’ve gone through some shared coverage trauma, including our ceremonial final SGA assignment. I know you’ve moved on from The D.O., but you’ll always be tied to my memories with the paper.

Solange: As news editor, I definitely didn’t make your life much easier — especially with every time I inadvertently was late to selects. You’re one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, you were always so patient with me and always made sure the news section had incredible photos. We haven’t seen each other lately, but I hope this isn’t it for us.

Ilana, Lucía & Bridget: I will stand by the fact that presentation director is probably one of the hardest jobs at The D.O., and you all handled it with grace — even when the news section slacked on display copy during print nights (guilty). Each of you built off one another in a way that elevated this paper. Keep up the amazing work — work that I, in a million years, would never be able to replicate.

My family: You are my number one supporters—even in the times I’ve accidentally ghosted you while fully immersed in D.O. work. Every text about a story I or someone else wrote, every screenshot from the newsletter, and every question about a D.O. merch drop made this work even more worthwhile. I’m insanely lucky to have you all. I love you so much!

My friends: Many of you have lovingly joked that The D.O. “chains me to the desk” or “locks me in the basement.” Thank you for your patience — you stuck by my side even when I wasn’t as present as I should’ve been. I hope you know you’re all stuck with me forever.

SGA: You were the subject of my first story, and the subject of my last. For better or worse, covering SGA is what first made me feel like a journalist. Thank you for that.

—

Goodbye, for real. If you ever worked with me here, please — please, stay in touch.

Published on May 1, 2026 at 10:37 pm
Contact Julia: jmboehni@syr.edu