14 minutes and 35 seconds.
That’s approximately how long it takes me to walk from my other job at the Student Union to The Daily Tar Heel’s office.
14 minutes and 35 seconds.
That’s how long I persevere every Monday and Wednesday night trying to avoid tripping over uneven bricks, going uphill on the Quad and hoping no one tries to attack me in the open streets of Franklin Street.
“Why do you do it?” My mom would often ask me as she’d accompany me during these walks over the phone. But I often have trouble trying to explain my reasons in those 14 minutes.
I guess now’s as good a time as any. So mom, and the world, here are my ‘why’s.
I often make my way to the office when the sky is a blanket of black. Summer, fall, spring or winter, there’s no way I’m making it there before 8 p.m. on Mondays, or 7 p.m. on Wednesdays (sorry Alli!). By then, I’m beyond exhausted from classes and my other job and that short flight of stairs up to the office or thinking about sitting on the last available lumpy chair is usually my last straw.
But as soon as I open that creaky door, everything changes. My Audience Engagement "babies" never fail to greet me with an ecstatic “Rachel!!!” and my dearest Alli Pardue, my work wife, our amazing AE editor and matriarch, always gives me an enthusiastic smile.
“Hi guys! How’s everyone’s day been?” I’d often say as I’d take a seat in the AE editor inner circle. This marks the start of a bustling conversation about Shannen Horan’s last trip to the Boot Barn, Abby Miss’ explanations about American culture or sports to me and Pranav Uppalapati’s side remarks of his work-sisters’ comments. Ava West is there trying to tackle some of the captions, yet she can’t help but be roped into the conversation.
