Editorial | Issue 26

Editorial | Issue 26

Critic Finishes Its 90th Year!

That’s a wrap! 26 issues, several bizarre dramas, and many all-nighters later, we’ve done it. 

Looking back on old issues from the last 90 years, there’s been some damn cool stuff Critic has covered — from the Springboks tour to discussing mixed flatting to interviewing the Beatles. Maybe in another 90 years, readers will be amazed that it took us so long to discover water on Mars. 

Almost exactly a year ago, I was interviewed for the position of editor. I had no idea then how I was going to do the job, and I still don’t really know how it happened. 

But figuring that out has probably been the best lesson I’ve ever had to learn.  

I have always loved doing my own thing. Large social gatherings are often tedious, solo assignments are less frustrating than group work, and all sports are much more rewarding for me when no one is around to witness my attempts. 

Over 200 people contributed to Critic this year in some capacity. Thank you to all of you. And thank you to our readers for picking up every single issue all year.  

And then there were those who just did the serious hard slogs every single week. Kat, my office pal and designer of 1264 pages this year, I couldn’t have wished for a better person to spend at least 70 hours a week with all year. Ceri, the Teletubbies will never be forgotten and neither will every moment I walked in to find you lying on the floor.  

Laura Munro, if there’s anyone who needed a push to have a bit more faith in themselves, it was you. And you nailed it more than I even knew you would. Thank you to all the news interns too and to Joe, Magnus and Bridie for your work. 

Mary, when nothing made sense, you made it all make sense. Every single week, I could count on you to save us from embarrassing mistakes and contradictory headlines. 

Lou, Henry, Laura S, Daniel, Mandy, Max, Aman, Basti, Finbarr, Lucy, Philippa, Olivia, Brandon, Bridget, Jessica, Maya, Anthony for your consistently great writing. 

We’ve had our share of mistakes and doubts this year, and I have loved being the person for anyone at Critic, I hope, to turn to when they need to. 

But now for the lesson — my flatties, my family, the whole crew at Critic, Radio One and OUSA — you’ve taught me that trying to do anything alone is just dumb. When the great stuff happens, like a magazine coming together each week, nothing beats celebrating it with others. When the sky seems to be falling down, nothing makes it easier to deal with than laying your cards on the table and asking for help or just a reminder that one slip isn’t the end of the world. 

None of this cool stuff in Critic would have been done if any editor had tried to do it alone. 

Don’t try to live life alone — it’s so much more rewarding when you share it.

Josie out!

Xxxx

Josie Cochrane
Critic Editor

This article first appeared in Issue 26, 2015.
Posted 10:37am Sunday 4th October 2015 by Josie Cochrane.