Realistically, Norris University Center is not where you want to be at midnight on a Tuesday night. Or any night really. 

However, as almost every staffer of The Daily Northwestern knows, nights like that aren’t scarce — especially as you rise through the ranks. When someone told freshman me that, I was thrilled. I was ready for my Rory Gilmore era and to finally live out my dream of working at a college newspaper and make meaningful work for a community. 

If someone told 22-year-old graduated me that, I would shiver. But that was the beauty of the Daily: no matter how much strife or homework or fatigue you had, and no matter how hard those nights were sometimes, being surrounded by your friends grinding through those last few event stories that came in at 11 p.m. was just part of the deal. 

And it wasn’t always so glamorized as it is when I look back on it now. My junior fall I was managing editor and those were three of the most challenging, isolating months of my life. As someone whose main friend group lay outside the paper, seeing my friends go out on a Thursday while I was working until the wee hours of the night on a print paper was so difficult, and sometimes I questioned whether it was a worthy sacrifice. 

Were my happiness and mental health worth pushing just a little bit harder to get to that next edit board spot? Just a little more sacrifice and I could secure my future job “for sure”? The answer was no. 

I think the key to surviving those midnight scaries was acknowledging when you’ve had enough and when you’ve done enough. After my stint as managing editor, I knew it was time to ease myself out. I gave everything I could to the paper and at the end of the day, that’s all you can do. 

I was worried about not fulfilling my dream of being editor-in-chief. I was always the kind of person who wasn’t satisfied until she was at the top, running the show, in every aspect of my life whether that was in extracurricular activities, academics or even friendship circles. 

College showed me that didn’t need to always be a priority. I could acknowledge when I’d done enough to set myself up for success, and enjoy the rest of my life. As much as I loved the time I spent on the third floor of Norris, I thrived outside, living my best college life. 

I finally accepted I didn’t always have to be no. 1. I could find a balance between work and play. And I’m so grateful to the Daily for teaching me that lesson at a young age and setting me up for success in the “real world.” Without the paper, including all its ups and downs, I wouldn’t be where I am today and I can say that with full confidence. 

I’ve never learned more in a shorter span of time and I’ve taken away loads of knowledge and even better friends. To all current and future staffers, remember to always challenge yourself but know when it’s time to prioritize you — and treat yourself to that Mod and Starbucks to get through those midnight scaries. 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @rebecca_aizin