Reflecting on our time with The Boar

In our first edition, four of our outgoing Editors share their experiences of working with The Boar and ultimately, what the paper has meant to them.

Tanya Khan (Travel Editor)

When I spontaneously applied for the role of Travel Editor, I had one goal in mind – to make the travel section as accessible as possible for all students. Whether you had been to some of the most exotic countries in the world or had never left the UK, my aim was to make you feel like you could relate to the articles we shared. When reflecting on this past year, I believe that we have been able to do this.

I’ve had a wonderful time working with a team of incredible people 

My fantastic Deputy Editors, Katie and Mariam, have worked with me to curate a selection of articles that delved into key student issues surrounding travel, tackling topics including homesickness and attempting to break free from the pressures of social media. One of the most rewarding experiences by far has been developing the ‘Women of the World’ series, where some incredible writers have shared their empowering experiences in places that have been dubbed some of the most dangerous places for women to explore.

Overall, I’ve had a wonderful time working with a team of incredible people who are truly passionate about The Boar. It has been lovely to be a part of such a kind group of writers and editors, and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has helped us make the section enjoyable for all.

Georgia Simcox (Books Editor)

Coming into the role with no prior experience in pitching articles, WordPress or InDesign was a challenge. But, it was a challenge I relished from the moment I took over as Books Editor last year.

I can say I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the role from practically living in The Boar office to making my bee costume work for every social – as well as the weekly difficulties with InDesign and fitting the role around reading three novels a week and researching for my dissertation.

I can say I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the role

Editing the Books section has undoubtedly been the best part of my university experience and I’ve met a wealth of talented and incredibly hard-working people, including other section editors and members of the team. But, perhaps most importantly, those who write for us.

The quality of articles never failed to astound me, from hilariously clever headlines such as ‘Brexit, pursued by a bear’ to captivating arguments on how we can be environmentally conscious as readers and how book marketing has a superiority complex. Countless reviews have added even more books to my post-degree ‘to read’ list.  

The section has gone from strength to strength this year. I’m not ready to shelve my time as Books Editor, but I know next year’s editor will take the section on to even better things.

Jessie Kolvin (Arts Editor)

Warwick students may be very book-smart, but they are also bafflingly, endlessly creative. Starting my role as Arts Editor, I believed it was my job to be the fount of all knowledge when it came to Warwick’s artsy happenings, but quickly realised that this was an impossibility. The arts – innovative, challenging, fulgent – bubble irrepressibly through every pore of this University.

To be able to meet and then celebrate the achievements of just some of Warwick’s creatives, including from the graduate community – from the writer of an award-winning musical, to a resident artist at the Birmingham Rep, to stars of West End and RSC productions – has been a privilege and an honour, especially in a time when the arts can appear to be under threat.

To be able to meet and then celebrate the achievements of just some of Warwick’s creatives has been a privilege and an honour

And it has been an honour to do my part in the team of committed, interested and interesting people that is The Boar exec. Cosied away up in SUHQ in our little office, I think we have a pretty good time together. And I also think we can be pretty proud of what we have achieved.

Marta Zima (SciTech Editor)

As the end of my degree approaches at a speed far greater than I am comfortable with, I often find myself talking to people about how my time at university has been. As I tell them my tales of becoming the ‘Mum Friend™’ of my first year flat, and eventually end with preparing to enter the adult world of job hunting and grad-scheme applications, people ask “is there anything you regret?” – and there is. The one thing I regret about my time at university is not joining The Boar in first year. While I did go to the freshers’ week welcome event and met the SciTech editor at the time, I found myself feeling too scared to start writing.

It feels as if just yesterday I saw my first ever SciTech article published on the website

Eventually, as with most stories, I got my happy ending and started writing just before second year. It feels as if just yesterday I saw my first ever SciTech article published on the website, yet here I am a year and a half later writing this letter as the section’s editor. SciTech has brought me so much joy and I hope that it did so too for its readers and writers. I joined The Boar because I loved writing about science, and I hope that if anyone reading this feeling like I did at the start of my first year plucks up the courage and start writing. You never know how far you can go until you try, and what better place to start than The Boar.