It’s hard to stand out next to that stadium. Kyle Field looks great; you’re forgiven if you walk past our newsstands while you stare at it.
But The Battalion is back, again, ready for another in a string of years that goes back to 1893, more than 100 years before the football locker room had waterfalls. Your grandfather read The Batt, and he turned out okay.
This year we have a new look, a redesign, completed with this campus and its traditions in mind. It doesn’t change what we do — we’re still a newsroom full of Aggies from all corners of campus working each day to tell A&M’s stories — but we worked hard to help bring our publication into the new world of publishing.
To be clear, I don’t know what the future holds. Maybe the paper-and-ink days are numbered. Maybe blogs and Twitter really will replace traditional news outlets. But this newspaper is part of the fabric of A&M traditions, and Aggies tend not to let old things die. I imagine students will crowd the newsroom for years to come, arguing about headlines and photographs.
You can be part of this tradition, if you want. The best way to ensure student journalism endures is to read our work. When you do, tell us what you think. It’ll keep us accountable. Interact with us on social media, email me at [email protected] or drop in to the newsroom (MSC L400).
We’re here to tell your stories, so bring them to us. If a friend of yours does something remarkable, let us know. Help us do our jobs better.
And you can work alongside us. If you’re a writer, photographer, graphic artist, videographer or page designer — or you want to learn how to be any of those things — bring in an application. We welcome applications from any major, any age and any experience level. We’re funny, sometimes, and we work hard. (If that’s not enough, you’ll get paid for your work, which means you can tell your parents you’re employed.) The No. 1 thing I hear from staffers is they wished they started sooner. Don’t be that person.
We hope you like the new design. It might not catch your eye like another certain campus renovation, but it cost $450 million less.
Welcome back to campus, Aggies. See you around.