Student column— High schoolers come off like pros

By Caleb Chin

Something doesn’t feel right.

The Kedzie Krier staff has this elite reputation. But on this Tuesday night they seem like just another newspaper staff — not the professional-esque, up-and-coming team of journalists working together. People should be frantically walking back and forth, with phone lines ringing and papers flying. It’s the day before print, so there should be a hectic nature to the place.

Turns out, I’ve been watching too many movies.

There’s some chaos but it’s organized. In one room, “Holla,” “Peace Out,” “Woot” and other phrases scatter across the ceiling in marker. Music from Death Cab for Cutie and The Gorillaz play on a computer, while another person scrolls through fmylife.com. Bags of candy, Caribou coffee and Chipotle lie on desks. In one corner, some staff members watch and laugh at someone apparently doing the Wabash Cannonball dance incorrectly, and a circle of friends make monster noises, waving their arms. Someone brings in their dog. Students without shoes slide across the slick wood floor in their socks.

Everyone seems to be in a good mood. I’m even kicking a Tigger bouncy ball back and forth while I eat their candy.

The atmosphere feels relaxed, almost lazy. What was going on? I’m supposed to be scribbling notes and stepping out of their way as I feel journalistically inferior.

Some time and a more in-depth examination starts to clear my confusion. Among the words and drawings on the ceiling are inspirational quotes, presumptively to encourage stressed writers if they bring their gaze to the heavens in frustration. Every once in a while, there’s a drawn out groan, expressing disdain at the situation. The people usually don’t get sidetracked for long before they segue into discussions about layouts and trade opinions about things that can be tweaked. Some of those people goofing off and making monster noises are with The Collegian, the college newspaper.

But it’s still not enough. These people should be talking in impatient tones, being more aggressive, frustrated and overall jerks, like other regular newspaper staffs before print.

And then it becomes clear. These people are done. A few more proofreads here, a few adjustments there, and the Kedzie Krier will be ready to send to print.

Turns out, there are only seven people from the journalism camp working on the Kedzie Krier. They finished a 12-page paper in four days. It takes 17 students at my school with two weeks to complete eight pages.

There’s that journalistically inferior feeling.

Caleb Chin is a senior at McPherson High School and a student in the advanced writing class at the Flint Hills Publication Workshop.