A sense of accomplishment
I nervously opened the front cover of this year’s yearbook this afternoon, listening to the cracking sound of the binding opening for the first time and smelling that new yearbook smell. This is one of the hardest days of the year for a yearbook adviser. The truth about our labor arrived packed in 14 boxes, on 642 pounds of paper and ink.
Normally, the first feeling I feel is disappointment. Maybe we didn’t leave enough space around the margins or flubbed the body copy size. Maybe there’s a typo on page 1. Maybe the cover is ugly.
This year, none of the above. For the first time in the four years I’ve advised this yearbook staff, I waited and let next year’s editor open the box I’d pilfered from the cart that was being rolled away hours ago to its secret location. As she and her staff paged through the book, I slowly turned the pages of my own book, too.
“Yes!” I whispered.
“Yes!” they repeated, over and over.
Yes became a chorus.
Finally, finally, finally. We did it.
Congratulations!!! Did I ever tell you that I was the editor of my yearbook? I remember seeing it for real the first time…very scary! (and oh so thrilling)
I love the new yearbook smell, too! Can’t ever get enough of it, and this is my 12th yearbook! Y’all get your books early–we have at least two more weeks to go. What a blessing–if everything looks good, then all is right with the world. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Michelle: How cool! I lacked the confidence to do anything but be a staff member, and even applying for that in high school was hard for me. It got better in college, but still :)
I think my kids were feeling that thrill on Thursday when they came in. I just wish they could have been there for the boxes to actually be unloaded!
Melissa: If there was one complaint I have with my yearbook company is that they always ship a week or two early. Our ship date is the 17th, but they obviously were early, again! I just can’t imagine how much more we could squeeze in with just two more weeks before the final deadline :)
Good luck with your shipment–I hope it all goes as well as ours seems to be right now!