Goodbye and Boar Revoir – 2024’s team sign off

Our outgoing Editorial Board for 2024–25 bid farewell, and describe their final thoughts about their time with The Boar.

Luke Chapman (outgoing Editor-in-Chief)

As I write this, I’m sat in our office mid-layup, alongside The Boar’s finance team. They’re talking nonsense about some random crypto currency I know nothing about. I’m looking at Boaris for inspiration, and he’s smiling back at me. I start to laugh.

A friend of mine once told me, “One day, Luke, you may miss today.” I think about this statement a lot, and it’s beginning to ring true right now.

For so long, I’ve wanted to make The Boar the best newspaper it can be. I’ve wanted us to win all the awards, and I’ve wanted to prove to how rid that it can done. As I sit here now, I realise none of that really matters.

What matters, really, is the friends we make along the way. Across three years, The Boar has offered me that in abundance, and that’s something I’ll be eternally grateful for.

Archie Clarke (outgoing Editor-in-Chief)

In my ‘meet the exec’ post in 2023, I stated that when I was young I wanted to grow up to be a T-Rex (then a journalist). My time at The Boar has ensured that these have now been swapped. The friends that I have made, however, are not something that I want to reverse. The Boar is carried on the backs of Editors, Deputy Editors, Sub-Editors, and Writers who commit an enormous amount of time to our humble paper (sometimes more than their own degree). To all these people, thank you! The paper wouldn’t exist without you, so you can stand proud amongst the ranks of Adobe InDesign and dead trees. And to the future exec, remember that at the end of the day the print is just fish and chip paper in waiting, and the real Boar is the friends you make along the way.

Katie Bevan (outgoing Chief Sub-Editor)

I arrived on campus in September 2021 with a Covid mask and a Boar article already under my belt. How? Well, the unbridled enthusiasm only found in a Fresher had seen me stumble (read: charge at full speed) into The Boar‘s Writers Facebook Groups upon being accepted into the University of Warwick. And with lax membership checks, I had written my very first album retrospective for The Boar.

Naturally then, The Boar has been a constant in my university experience since (before) day one. From Deputy Features Editor to Features Editor, Editor-in-Chief to Lifestyle Columnist, and now, as the curtains are readied to fall upon the Final Act, Chief Sub-Editor, my four years at Warwick have been welcomely dictated by The Boar. Now, as I approach graduation, armed with a journalist’s ammo, it is the cherished friendships I made on each exec that I find myself reflecting on. So, to The Boar, I say thank you.

Yusra Babar (outgoing Deputy EIC, Communications)

My time at The Boar feels short but incredibly rewarding. I remember, as a Fresher, being invited to write for the Books section by Luke Chapman (then Deputy Books Editor) and feeling overwhelmed by the unpredictable world of student journalism. Fast forward to the end of my second year, and I found myself successfully elected as the society’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief!

My fellow senior team members warmly welcomed me, and working alongside these uniquely talented and kind individuals has been a true privilege. I have cherished every conversation, every senior team layup, and, most importantly, all the close friendships I have found through The Boar. A special thanks to my deputies, Jack and Seraphine, who were thrown into the whirlwind that is Comms quite late in the year and handled it beautifully.

To the successors, I hope you stay unapologetically yourselves, savour every moment, and throw yourselves into this experience. You might not realise how exceptional this time is until it comes to an end.

Jesse Hitt (outgoing Deputy EIC, Physical Media) + Zak

Joining The Boar has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. I am so glad to have been part of a team that always encourages each other, and I am particularly proud of all the efforts that went into the Boar Magazine. I could not have done it without the amazing physical media team, Sophia and João, and honorary senior team member, Zak. Babysitting the editors has been a joy and we hope everyone maintains their loving relationship with InDesign. With six prints, the magazine and, between us, a grand total of one article, we really feel we’ve contributed to The Boar beyond lurking in the corners of the office. As always, sorry about how slow the computers are, and we wish the best for the next team.

Anna Bickerton (outgoing Deputy EIC, Digital Media, incoming Editor-in-Chief)

As March rolls around, it feels unfortunately premature to be bidding farewell. I must begin by thanking my counterparts, the fabulous Yusra and the incomparable Jesse – your InDesign skills will live on as Boar legend. As will Zak’s – my favourite honorary Senior Team member.

To the rest of the (actual) Senior Team; Archie, Luke, and Katie, your dedication has been so essential to our success this year; I’m beyond grateful to have worked alongside you.

Last but certainly not least, I doubt I’d have made it through second-year without the friendships The Boar has afforded to me. So thank you to Martin and Abigail, to whom I am eternally indebted for keeping me sane in the office everyday and proofreading my inane ramblings.

Alas, any enemies I made by my incessant nagging on pitching may be disappointed to learn The Boar won’t be rid of me yet! However the hands of exec election fate may treat me, I’ll definitely be sticking around to write.

Abbie Fox (Head of Social Media)

In 2024, one of my main New Year’s Resolutions was to get involved with a society, and preferably to hold an exec position. So, when I saw The Boar advertise roles in the Easter holidays, I spontaneously decided to apply online for Head of Social Media.

At the time, I didn’t know or understand much about the society or what this role would entail, and I had never met anyone on the team. However, I’m so grateful for how welcoming and supportive everyone was.

After returning for Term 3, I wrote my first article (for the Arts section, as many of my articles still are) and not long after I came into The Boar‘s office for my first layup.

This past year has been an amazing experience, and I wish all the graduating exec members the best of luck. I can’t wait to continue my involvement with The Boar next year!

Freya Bennewith (outgoing Head of Events)

I came into my role as Head of Events for The Boar as someone who has never written for the paper, and still hasn’t, but I have had such a great time. I want to thank everyone that has come to my socials, whether willingly or due to my begging and bumping on the group chat. I wish luck to the future Head of Events and to all those of the current exec who are graduating from Warwick!

Sebastian Smith (outgoing Head of Business)

When I began my long-awaited pilgrimage to Barcelona, I felt upset at the idea of being potentially unable to continue working with The Boar. So, when I found out I could not only stay on with the paper, but also help keep it oiled and running smoothly from thousands of miles away, I jumped at the chance. It’s been a pleasure! And I look forward to staying engaged with The Boar when I’m soon back in Leamington!

Martin Day (outgoing News Editor, incoming Editor-in-Chief)

What a ride! I hadn’t intended to run for News Editor last election, but thank god I did. Undoubtedly, I wouldn’t have met so many people, had so many opportunities, nor gained the fear and loathing of at least three different societies were it not for this job. Nor would I have met such an invaluable group of friends: my crack news team, who I can’t thank enough for your work this past year; Luke and Archie, you Grand Old Boars who trained me into the jaded news-husk now writing this; all of Senior team, who I can’t thank enough for tolerating me in their office during Senior Team Layup; and Anna, my partner in news, nights out, and office procrastination. What a waste this job would’ve been without you.

What next? Well, The Boar has taken up such an overwhelming amount of my time this past year: I can’t imagine doing anything besides it just yet.

Ruby Deakin (outgoing Opinion Editor, incoming Climate Editor)

Everyone remembers where they were the day that the age of the “Comment” section dwindled, and the mighty “Opinion” was born. Transformed from a striking yellow to a dignified navy blue, the Opinion section wasted no time in picking up where its ancestor left off, and I had the privilege of witnessing Boar history be made before my very eyes.

My experience as Opinion editor has been eye-opening. While InDesign and I have not always been best friends, I have learnt so much from the whole process. Thanks to the fabulous senior team and my Opinion crew, I’m honoured to have been able to fulfil this role and showcase the passion and brilliance of Warwick’s student body, putting their opinions out into the world. Being involved in student journalism is, in my view, one of the most rewarding possible undertakings at university, and what I have learnt will last a lifetime!

Gabrielle Welch (Features Editor)

Coming up with an idea for a Features article can seem like a daunting task. It can’t be too opinionated or too specific to any one of The Boar’s other sections. And, of course, it has to be substantial. As a deputy, I found it intimidating to pitch ideas each week, struggling to land on a compelling concept. But the greatest joy of being a Features editor is learning to see stories all around – not just in the news, but on campus, in Leam and Cov, and within societies. University life is rich, and the scope of student creativity is vast. It has been a delight to read everyone’s submissions and tune into the pulse of campus life. I’ve loved every word.

A huge thank you to our brilliant Features deputies, Candela, Aaheli, and Anna. Extra thanks to the diligent sub-editor, Odette, and the dedicated Senior Team. It’s been a ride!

Abhay Venkitaraman (outgoing Finance Editor)

As I say goodbye to Britain’s best newspaper, it’s safe to say that my time at The Boar has given me both a passion for journalism and a mild addiction to the en dash.

Just a few weeks into my first year, I wrote my debut article and soon joined The Boar‘s team as Sci-Tech’s sub-editor. From there, I became Chief Sub-editor, with my SPAG pedantry being outmatched only by my energy drink consumption.

After that, I decided to try my hand at helming the Finance section. That’s been nothing but a blast, with our coverage of everything from WES to on-campus societies making it clear that economics has a place in student journalism.

Before I go, I want to say a huge thank you to my deps, Lex and Oscar, and to Jesse and Zak for their priceless layup advice.

And with that, I bid adieu to The Boar. Thank you for everything, and I am confident that future editorial boards will keep the flag of student journalism flying high.

Abigail Mableson (outgoing Arts Editor)

I feel this is the moment where I admit I have no idea how I became Arts editor, and I am convinced it was a bit of a fluke. One year later, with some InDesign patience, a slight hatred of creative commons, and a few interviews, I can’t help but say joining The Boar was the best choice I made at Warwick. Thank you to my lovely deputies, Harriet and Emilia, and my very patient subeditor, Sanjana, who have made the Arts something truly fabulous, alongside the constant support of the incredible Senior Team. I will cherish the chaotic memories of layup together, and I hope the conversations from Office 1 will remain completely off the record! If you ever want to join the loveliest, hard-working, and inspiring group of individuals, join The Boar. In the words of my Geordie Grandma, ‘shy bairns get nowt’. Make your voice known and write something!

Odette Dyer (outgoing Lifestyle Editor)

I joined the Lifestyle section as a deputy in my first year and it has been a privilege to have served as Lifestyle editor during my second. I’ve really enjoyed being able to read such a diverse and broad range of articles and to watch this section grow into one of the most active at The Boar. I’ve been able to develop my editing and design skills whilst making new friends along the way, something I am very grateful for. I want to say a huge thank you to my brilliant deputy editors, Hannah and Zahra, and Lifestyle’s amazing sub-editor, Laura, for all their tremendous effort and for making my life much easier. I would also like to thank the fantastic Lifestyle columnists – Hester, Jack, Izabella, Emily, and Freya – for producing incredible articles each week. So, although I’m sad my time is over, I’m excited to see where Lifestyle goes next year and I wish all the best to my successor.

Estella Neumayr (outgoing Books Editor)

Having worked this past year as Books editor, has truly been a pleasure! Witnessing all the fantastic articles unfold in so many different ways than I would have expected when pitching the ideas, getting to see writers come up with their own topics they are passionate about, and aesthetically designing our website as well as print pages has been a vulnerable experience. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the rest of our lovely Books team. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude towards Anna for subbing each article swiftly, my deputies, Naomi and Tamara, for their support, our columnists for their original contribution to our section and the senior Boar exec team for always being ready to help on queries that arose over the year. And obviously to you, the writers. Your commitment and enthusiasm to this section has carried throughout my position. It has been an honor to work with all of you — thank you!

James Watson (outgoing Travel Editor)

It has been a pleasure to work in The Boar across this semester and get to know everyone on the team. I know I have been able to grow and learn so much from being travel editor and the role has given me a fresh perspective on the world we live in. As with life itself, travel is as much about the journey as the destination. This was the major appeal of the section for me. Dreaming up new pitches every week, writers matched my enthusiasm with fascinating stories and insightful advice. Though I have been physically separated from The Boar this year, I have felt connected through writing, editing and sharing stories with others. It has been more than just another role, it has been a part of me.

Hayden Waller (outgoing TV Editor)

It’s been a great year at the TV section. We’ve published some brilliant articles, and broadened our focus, publishing articles about television from other cultures such as Norway and Korea (not just Squid Game!). I couldn’t have managed without the help of the TV deps, Anya and Matthew. They were a huge help, especially when third year became briefly too much for me!

For me, the highlight of running the TV section this year has been layup. Seb, the previous TV editor, left some big shoes to fill in this respect, and attempting to follow in his footsteps occasionally left me tearing out my hair. However, with Anya and Matthew’s help, as well as the invaluable guidance of Jesse and Zak (and much cursing of the slow office computers) we managed to create some memorable and creative pages that I’m very proud of. I can only hope that whoever is running the TV section next year has as much fun as I did.

Lucy Gibbons (outgoing Music Editor)

I have loved every section of being involved in the Music section over the last two years, first as a deputy and the past year as Editor. Even though InDesign and I have not always seen eye-to-eye, I have gained experience and memories that will stay with me, from previewing Sam Fender’s album a week before its release to being at the barricade of Bleachers’ gig in Birmingham. Organising the opportunity for so many of our writers to attend concerts and also getting to read all of your fantastic article ideas has definitely been my favourite part of the role.

A big thank you to my deps, Ruby and Meera, and to my fantastic sub-editor, Zoe, for dealing with all of my last-minute subbing requests.

Although this won’t be the last that The Boar is seeing of me, I can’t wait to see how the Music section continues to grow.

Nikita Bavisha (outgoing Climate Editor)

I have not been part of The Boar team for very long, having taken over the position in October, but I have loved every minute! Everyone in the team has been supportive of me getting to grips with the role and I am exceptionally grateful for this. What I have enjoyed most about the role is engaging with different perspectives on issues surrounding the climate crisis, pushing me to expand my viewpoints. Many thanks to my amazing deputies, Bella and Elena, for your perseverance through the struggles we faced learning how to do lay-up together, as well my sub-editor Sanskriti for completing lots of last-minute subbing requests. I have really enjoyed my time as Climate editor and look forward to continue writing for The Boar in the future.

Gabriela Jozefowicz (Games Editor)

I remember when I first applied to be a part of The Boar as a Games dep, and I was so scared that when asked “What do you bring to the table”, I said nothing. I think I was incredibly lucky to be able to become the Games dep after that answer. From there I got to be part of the best paper on campus and even became the Games editor. I got to read and write some amazing articles as well as work with a fantastic team. Even being abroad couldn’t rip me away from the fun of working on articles and transforming them onto a page and making Instagram posts alongside them. Now if you asked me what I bring to the table, I would say a lot, all thanks to the experiences I got from The Boar. But hopefully, this is not goodbye yet…

Matthew Randell (outgoing Podcasts Editor)

I first pitched the creation of The Boar Podcasts section in February 2023. Three months later, the first article went online. I’ve had the privilege of being its editor ever since. I’m incredibly proud of what the section has accomplished – not least a Midlands Media Students Awards win and clinching ‘Most Innovative Society’ at the SU awards.

These were only possible due to the dedication of the teams I’ve been able to work alongside. This year that includes deputy editors Millie Hatfield-Grossova and Hasan Islam, along with sub-editor-extraordinaire Amira Neminathan. These three have kept the section going while I’ve slowly realised a PhD is hard and requires much more of my time. I hope I’m leaving behind a section that has proven itself as capable as any other when it comes to attracting talented people and producing great journalism. I can’t wait to see how it grows under new leadership.

Parijat Bhattacherjee (outgoing Film Editor)

My entire experience at The Boar was a very unexpected leap for me as a fresher. I started out on the Business Team but then ran for elections for the editor of the Film section. Being an economics student, I initially felt like a fish out of water despite my interest in film reviews from being an active Letterboxd user.

It was really fascinating to learn the process of using InDesign to make actual newspaper print pages which is not something I would have imagined to be a part of my university journey, and the freedom to choose article pitches and decide on print themes gave me a lot of creative freedom. But arguably the most valuable part of the entire experience was meeting people from very different degree backgrounds with varying career aspirations, which was refreshing.

Rachel Gore (outgoing Sport Editor)

When I joined The Boar as Deputy News Editor in my first year, I never imagined I’d be running for Sport Editor just a few months later.

Making the switch to sport allowed me to expand the section – introducing investigations, securing press tickets, and continuing to cover national and university sports news.

I’ve loved reading pieces from writers and want to thank my deps – Jack, Megan, Frida, and Thomas – as well as our sub-editor, Eirlys, for dealing with all my (many) editing requests.

On a personal note, interviewing Olympians, Paralympians, professional footballers, and Warwick student athletes has been a highlight. I’ve also loved investigating the often-overlooked aspects of university sport.

Whilst me and InDesign haven’t always gotten along, I’m still sad to say goodbye to this role and look forward to seeing what’s next for The Boar Sport.

That said, this isn’t the last The Boar will see of me. Goodbye to this role and look forward to seeing what’s next for The Boar Sport.