The infamous diva that is Rachel Berry once said, “being a part of something special does not make you special; something is special because you are a part of it.” Being (unfortunately and unfairly) compared to Miss Berry on several separate occasions, I felt obligated to include at least one of her quotes in order to introduce myself.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Anja Royko. I am a Head Table Madrigal Singer, Divine leader, three year JV tennis player (but who’s counting?), horrible parker, great lover of Taco Bell, self-proclaimed Rupaul’s Drag Race expert, and your new Editor-In-Chief.

If you still don’t know who I am, I am the 5’11” brunette who insists on wearing platform heels and outfits that never seem to accommodate the temperature outside. Yes, I am cold. Thank you for asking.

As I prepare for my final year of high school, I can’t help but reminisce over the past three years and all of the precious memories and opportunities that they have brought me, one of them being the very paper that I am writing for today.

During the second semester of my sophomore year, I was given the amazing opportunity to join The Norse Star as a staff writer. I immediately fell in love with the paper and everything that it stood for. I loved interviewing the staff and students, collaborating with the other Norse Star staff members, and getting to work so closely with so many of my friends.

Being as inspired, competitive, and slightly delusional as I was, I decided to run for editor-in-chief for my junior year. I may not have known it yet, but I still had a bit more learning to do. Thankfully and unsurprisingly, I lost to one of the most dedicated and intelligent individuals that I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

Greta Nashold was able to foster a totally unique environment that provided each writer with the tools that they needed to put out the best issue possible.

Whether it meant cracking a joke or laying down the law, Greta always knew just what the staff needed.     While I do have some pretty big shoes to fill, I feel so incredibly honored to have been entrusted with this legacy. I am going to do my very best to ensure that the staff will continue to put out our best work, every single month.     During my time as editor-in-chief, I plan on covering as many aspects of our school as possible. One of my favorite things about our paper is that we are able to give the spotlight to some of the underrepresented people and clubs in our school. I hope to take this coverage even further.

In order to equally represent all students in our school, I would like to provide the student body with an opportunity to suggest story ideas. I am going to place a QR code right outside the SAC (Student Activities Center) that, if scanned, will lead to a short Google Form. That way, students will be able to inform the staff of events we might otherwise be unaware of.

In addition to suggesting a story idea, these students—if they would like to do so—could be given the chance to guest-write for the month. If their story is chosen, the student who pitched it could be given the chance to take on the story with a member of The Norse Star staff. They will be able to shadow that staff member for the month. In the process, they will learn the basics of conducting an effective interview, teamwork skills, graphic design, and generally just have a great time.

I am so thankful for everything that The Norse Star has given me. From the abundance of real world experience to the cultivation and strengthening of lifelong friendships, The Norse Star has helped make me the person that I am today, and I am lucky enough to say that I am happy with that person.

While Rachel Berry was insufferable and often incorrect throughout all six painful seasons of Glee, she did get at least one thing right: something is special because you are a part of it.

I cannot express what a pleasure it was to have been able to work with so many talented people this past year and a half, and I know that I will be able to say the same thing about next year’s staff. Each member always contributes something so unique and valuable, and I can’t wait to see what we come up with.

We may not know exactly what next year has in store, but I do know that it is going to be—dare I say it—something special