UCSC COSMOS 2019 in 232 Words
To the UCSC COSMOS 2019 Community...
Dear UCSC COSMOS Community,
First of all, thank you so much for being here on this website, whether you followed our journey since the very first iteration of our website or if you’re visiting us for the first time. Over the past four weeks, a passionate team of students wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to the project of creating the first ever UCSC COSMOS newsletter, not knowing how it would pan out or what to expect at all upon arriving at our very first meeting. Though I worried that it would be hard to lead a group of students with little guidance, I was so thankful for their willingness to put their all into this endeavor, and by extension, into me. I hope I was able to lead us all to our shared goal of documenting our experiences at COSMOS, both for our parents back home and for us, so that when the month of July came to its inevitable end, we would still have a record of all of the memories we shared.
Between late night video calls, weekends spent sitting in the lobby of the lecture hall editing while students watched movies, weekly meetings and hours spent brainstorming, writing, and editing, our team grew closer and stronger as friends and journalists alike. Thank you all for the countless hours of sleep, and bags of popcorn, among other things, that you’ve sacrificed to make this newsletter a success! It was your articles about #noCOSMOScouples, field trips, and Chonky the Squirrel, your all too relatable comics about procrastination monkeys and malfunctioning bathroom sinks, your fantastical depictions of Raul as Shrek (with All Star blaring in the background) accompanied by seamless editing, and your sharp eyes that were able to catch even the smallest of grammatical mistakes that made the first ever edition of the Macrocosm newsletter what it has become.
Of course, this newsletter wouldn’t even exist if not for Shaowei’s vision--thank you for supporting myself and the team by giving us such helpful advice and for gathering us all together in the first place!
The publication of the very last edition of the 2019 UCSC COSMOS newsletter is so bittersweet in that my late nights spent editing and panicking over missing articles are finally over--but at the same time, I’ll definitely miss the time I spent with my wonderful team members. Being a part of the newsletter team has allowed me to meet so many new friends outside of my cluster, who never stopped impressing me with the quality of their work and their willingness to talk to me about everything from the upcoming article deadline to the absorbancy of our lavender COSMOS t-shirts. My COSMOS experience would never have been the same without the creation of macrocosmnews.weebly.com, without the Macrocosm team, and without all of our readers--and I will be forever grateful for the me from four weeks ago for volunteering to become a part of this special community that I hope will last for years to come.
Allie Huang, Cluster 9
Macrocosm Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
First of all, thank you so much for being here on this website, whether you followed our journey since the very first iteration of our website or if you’re visiting us for the first time. Over the past four weeks, a passionate team of students wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to the project of creating the first ever UCSC COSMOS newsletter, not knowing how it would pan out or what to expect at all upon arriving at our very first meeting. Though I worried that it would be hard to lead a group of students with little guidance, I was so thankful for their willingness to put their all into this endeavor, and by extension, into me. I hope I was able to lead us all to our shared goal of documenting our experiences at COSMOS, both for our parents back home and for us, so that when the month of July came to its inevitable end, we would still have a record of all of the memories we shared.
Between late night video calls, weekends spent sitting in the lobby of the lecture hall editing while students watched movies, weekly meetings and hours spent brainstorming, writing, and editing, our team grew closer and stronger as friends and journalists alike. Thank you all for the countless hours of sleep, and bags of popcorn, among other things, that you’ve sacrificed to make this newsletter a success! It was your articles about #noCOSMOScouples, field trips, and Chonky the Squirrel, your all too relatable comics about procrastination monkeys and malfunctioning bathroom sinks, your fantastical depictions of Raul as Shrek (with All Star blaring in the background) accompanied by seamless editing, and your sharp eyes that were able to catch even the smallest of grammatical mistakes that made the first ever edition of the Macrocosm newsletter what it has become.
Of course, this newsletter wouldn’t even exist if not for Shaowei’s vision--thank you for supporting myself and the team by giving us such helpful advice and for gathering us all together in the first place!
The publication of the very last edition of the 2019 UCSC COSMOS newsletter is so bittersweet in that my late nights spent editing and panicking over missing articles are finally over--but at the same time, I’ll definitely miss the time I spent with my wonderful team members. Being a part of the newsletter team has allowed me to meet so many new friends outside of my cluster, who never stopped impressing me with the quality of their work and their willingness to talk to me about everything from the upcoming article deadline to the absorbancy of our lavender COSMOS t-shirts. My COSMOS experience would never have been the same without the creation of macrocosmnews.weebly.com, without the Macrocosm team, and without all of our readers--and I will be forever grateful for the me from four weeks ago for volunteering to become a part of this special community that I hope will last for years to come.
Allie Huang, Cluster 9
Macrocosm Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
To UCSC COSMOS 2020 Newsletter Team...
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
First of all, we would like to thank all of you for signing up to be part of the newsletter team. It was certainly a pleasure for us to participate in this project. Creating this newsletter, Macrocosm, was no easy task. We poured our blood, sweat, and tears into this project (well, some of us did), in addition to the busy schedule we had at COSMOS. Nevertheless, we did encounter a few road bumps and to help you guys, the newsletter team has compiled some tips, experiences, and last words. Enjoy!
Remember that you always have your “press pass” with you. If you don’t want to watch a movie on Sunday night because the RAs are showing Dora the Explorer, tell them that you have to work on the project. Second, be organized. We used Discord since we could create different channels for writers, editors, photographers, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask the RAs for help (like announcements). If you are head writer, exert your dominance over the writers so they get their article in on time (xD)! Also, take notes during discovery lecture. Save your midmorning naps for later!
— Alvin Cheng (Cluster 10, head writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
Let’s get this out of the way; join the newsletter team. Think you suck at writing? Join the newsletter team. Think the newsletter is a meaningless waste of time? Join the newsletter team. Think the newsletter is a joke and there is no point in joining the newsletter team? Join the team, join the team, join the team.
When I first heard of the COSMOS newsletter, I scoffed at the notion of being associated with it in any way, shape, or form. “I’m here to enjoy myself and to be playing with my friends,” I thought, “not sitting around typing up boring articles”. But when signups for the media team went by, I found myself wanting to try something new, something fresh, something unique. After all, COSMOS is all about going out of our comfort zones, right? (My decision to join the team was definitely not influenced by my friend persistently persuading me to join. Nope, no influence whatsoever.)
Of course, just joining the team itself means nothing; the vast number of people who signed up but didn’t show up to any meetings or actually do any work can attest to that. So now that you’re at the point that you signed up but don’t think you’ll be of any use, try to help out in any little way you can. Maybe it’s taking one or two photos that could complement the cluster article; maybe it’s co-editing with someone else so that writers get double the feedback. Who knows, maybe even by the end of the COSMOS program you’ll feel ready and motivated enough to write your own article!
But whatever you do, I’m sure you’ll have a blast. I started out hesitant and unsure of what I was doing, but at the end was happy and proud that I was able to be a part of such an amazing experience at COSMOS.
— Elliott Kau (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
@2020_newsletter,
Hello! I'm assuming you're reading this because you're willing to participate. It's a fun experience. Keep your Editor-in-Chief happy. Work hard. If you’re a writer, try to write grammatically correct and thematically coherent articles, and be sure to write them on time. If you're an editor, try to edit as fast and harsh as possible. If you’re a layout designer / photographer / video editor, don’t procrastinate — push people to give you the material you need to work with as fast as possible.
To the future Editor-in-Chief – as the de facto writing / editing coordinator for the 2019 endeavor – I strongly suggest you to push your team to its limits. Set deadlines a day earlier than they’re comfortable with. Refuse to credit people who don’t have the ability to work on the items they signed up to complete. Find writers who can write, editors who can edit, and photographers who can take good pictures. Try to find a couple of writers or editors who you can trust to manage your team and make sure both deadlines and standards are met. We all know that when we’re given some slack, we waste none of it. Be kind but not blindly so. I know I sound harsh, but trust me, this will make the newsletter go a lot more smoothly.
Have fun. Make friends that will last longer than this camp. Spend time with them. What you learn will stick, but it’s the relationships you make that will really change you. I don’t know what else to say. Cherish the time you have here, because y’all ain’t gonna come here again. You have no idea what you’re gonna experience, do you :))
– ANDREW YU (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
As the 2019 COSMOS Newsletter comes to an end, it’s time to pass on the torch to you all! Being a part of the COSMOS Newsletter has been such a privilege and unforgettable experience, and I want to ensure that you enjoy it as much as I did. To all the future writers, don’t be scared to go out of your comfort zone! Try interviewing different faculty members, write funny articles, and make entertaining cluster summaries. The bottom line is you won’t be able to do this a second time, so go all out (make sure to stay COSMOS-inclusive)!
Although it’s hard not to procrastinate, try to pace your writing or else you’ll end up cramming everything in until 11:59 PM! It has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs; however, I wouldn’t trade any of these memories or friends I’ve made through the newsletter. I cannot wait to see what the 2020 newsletter edition holds, good luck!
— Angelina Lee (Cluster 1, writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
First things first, I really appreciate those of you who volunteered to join the Newsletter. To those who are hesitant about joining, the newsletter provides you the opportunity to express any ideas in any format. This year, we had many fun articles stretching from an article about No Cosmos Couples to Chonky the Squirrel. If you don’t want to write, you can still contribute by submitting photos, videos, and even memes.
To the writers, I highly recommend you all to write out your notable experiences at COSMOS. Especially for Cluster writers, do not just write about your lectures, find a highlight of your week. Since my cluster was heavily lecture-based, it was often difficult to find an interesting topic to write about but always know that your fellow cluster comrades are more than willing to help you brainstorm.
Enjoy your time at COSMOS, share your memorable moments, and build connections that will last a lifetime. Good luck, and have fun!
– KEVIN WANG (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
Satire is the key to success. Cynicism, sarcasm, and hyperbole creates a vortex of rapt attention into the readers’ hearts.
– RICHARD CHEN (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
To 2020:
Signing up to be a part of this newsletter — whether it be for writing, photography/videography, or web design — and sitting (standing?) here with the rest of your newly admitted staff and poring over our letters to you, you, my friend, have already taken i n i t i a t i v e, and I applaud you for doing so.
At least, that’s how I’d felt about joining the newsletter myself last year, when I was in your shoes. I’d been eager to be a part of what I thought would be a relaxed, easygoing student group that’d throw together a couple publications every week. Instead, I’d been surprised (and almost scared off) by how serious our — for lack of a better word — management team would take this newsletter. I’d almost been intimidated out of writing for the newsletter since I’d never intended on treating my efforts as more than a silly, easygoing endeavor. However, I’d quickly come to appreciate the strict standards that our management had held us up to; doing so ensured that they’d be able to receive all articles/photos/other materials on time and create our high-quality publication, macrocosm (which I realize just now should have been called macrocosmos :O ).
I signed up for the Cluster 5 (B E S T and brightest cluster <3) Cluster Life article for our first edition. Which meant a blank screen staring at me on Friday evening. It’d been really hard to put words onto (digital) paper, especially since the only requirement I’d been given was to ‘write a 150-200 word blurb about your cluster in week 1.’ As we’d been the first UCSC COSMOS newsletter, there was not preceding Cluster Life article for me to base my own article off of. I eventually managed to force out a blurb. I’d cut down the article to meet our word limit and sent it off to the editors to tear apart (they didn’t, thankfully). If you’re going to be writing your own Cluster Life article for the first time, don’t worry about how others will receive your article, at least while you’re still in the process of writing it. Retaining your own voice while maintaining just a modicum of personality will let you fully enjoy the writing process and producing work that you’re satisfied with. This goes for all other components of the newsletter — focus on creating something you’re proud of; it’s much easier to edit something you’ve already produced than to work with a blank doc.
In fact, you’ll probably find that, as long as you like what you’ve written, there’s not much you’ll need to edit off (except for too many memes / inside jokes). I’d go as far as to say that if any editor intends on doing more than a few sentence structure/grammatical edits without explanation, you should definitely reach out to them and ask them to provide a thorough critique of your work before they dare tarnish your i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o p e r t y. It’s a learning opportunity for the both of you — you, who’ll learn something valuable in your craft as well as respectfully/professionally inquire somebody about what the hecko they’re doing, and them, who’ll learn how to respectfully edit work / provide critique in the future.
(Another tip for newsletter writers — it’s the ambiance and moods that highlight our days and that memories are formed out of. Represent the Cluster Experience TM with the highlights of the week, representing the experience itself over cold, hard facts. (At the same time, do make sure you touch base with what you’ve learned each day though.) )
The Cluster Life articles for the next two weeks came easily; I’d been satisfied with the way my first article had come out and worked with the same natural, fluid tone that I’d use before. When I’d got around to actually begin writing, they’d been the highlights of my Friday evenings. And, and, best part — all I’d feel like you’re doing is taking a bit of time out of my week to put words on a document, but my instructors (b l e s s Barcello) /a few students genuinely enjoyed my writing and inspired me to continue contributing. And there’d been my friend’s mom who remembered me as the gal who’d write for the newsletter. It’s nice to be appreciated yehno?
The last newsletter article is hard. And it kinda sucks. It’s okay to feel sad about it. That’s just the way it is.
To conclude my longer-than-expected letter to you, congratulations on joining the COSMOS 2020 newsletter. Your work will only be remembered online forever and ever — you’ll genuinely look back and feel grateful to be a part of such a large effort.
– CAROLYN QIAN (Cluster 5, writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
First off, welcome to the newsletter team! I had a great time with these amazing people, and hope you do too. To the future writers, I encourage you all to try out new things! Write about the trivial things, about funny events that you’d like to share, about anything. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask to write an article that’s not a cluster summary or coverage of a COSMOS event. If you want to try to take pictures or draw something, ask to switch roles! Everyone is chill, I promise.
Perhaps most importantly, don’t procrastinate. I know, easier said than done, but when you’re speed typing and panicking at 11:59, with a whole 200 words left to write, you’re not going to have a good time trying to get your words to make sense whilst still being entertaining/interesting (trust me, I speak from experience).
Actually most importantly, enjoy yourself! This camp was an amazing four weeks, but only if you make it so—reach out to your fellow newsletter people, your cluster, people outside your cluster. Don’t be afraid to make new friends; everyone is on the same page as you. Good luck, and have fun!
– YELENA TAO (Cluster 2, writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
Congrats on making it into COSMOS and welcome to the newsletter team! You will meet the overachievers of the overachievers here. First off, make comic strips. You’ll be surprised how many great jokes and memes you can make. If you need help with where to find fun color palettes, go on coolors.co! Secondly, don’t be scared to speak your mind. If you don’t like something, talk to someone about it and compromise with your newsletter team! This camp is where you can learn to become a better teammate and a better leader. Lastly, you will have the best experience of your life at COSMOS; it is truly an unforgettable four weeks. Be sure to push your limits by exploring new topics and meeting new people! Good luck!
– Grace and Lily (cluster 5, comics)
To Video Editors:
Please please please plan your videos ahead of time so you can edit more creatively with much better flow than what we had. Also, take as many videos on your own as you can because very few people send videos and yet everyone wants to be in the videos. That being said, find the few people who are willing to take videos because there are always a few. Good luck trying to represent all 10 clusters.
- Braden Wong and Junwoo Kang (cluster 2, video)
To the Photographers,
Welcome to the 2020 newsletter team! Only the best of the best have the motivation to push themselves to work harder and become better people among California's brightest minds. As for photography—we're all photographers! Just keep clicking away, and I'm sure some good ones will come out. To the head photographer: being head photographer isn't easy—you have to constantly make evening announcements and make sure photos stream in. Collecting photos is and was definitely the hardest part. Over the weeks, many methods for collecting photos have tried and failed, but ultimately the best method is to have a google drive folder with 4 folders for the 4 weeks, and within those have folders for all 10 clusters. I wish you all the best, and remember, capture those memories!
- Manan Bhargava (cluster 2, photography)
First of all, we would like to thank all of you for signing up to be part of the newsletter team. It was certainly a pleasure for us to participate in this project. Creating this newsletter, Macrocosm, was no easy task. We poured our blood, sweat, and tears into this project (well, some of us did), in addition to the busy schedule we had at COSMOS. Nevertheless, we did encounter a few road bumps and to help you guys, the newsletter team has compiled some tips, experiences, and last words. Enjoy!
Remember that you always have your “press pass” with you. If you don’t want to watch a movie on Sunday night because the RAs are showing Dora the Explorer, tell them that you have to work on the project. Second, be organized. We used Discord since we could create different channels for writers, editors, photographers, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask the RAs for help (like announcements). If you are head writer, exert your dominance over the writers so they get their article in on time (xD)! Also, take notes during discovery lecture. Save your midmorning naps for later!
— Alvin Cheng (Cluster 10, head writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
Let’s get this out of the way; join the newsletter team. Think you suck at writing? Join the newsletter team. Think the newsletter is a meaningless waste of time? Join the newsletter team. Think the newsletter is a joke and there is no point in joining the newsletter team? Join the team, join the team, join the team.
When I first heard of the COSMOS newsletter, I scoffed at the notion of being associated with it in any way, shape, or form. “I’m here to enjoy myself and to be playing with my friends,” I thought, “not sitting around typing up boring articles”. But when signups for the media team went by, I found myself wanting to try something new, something fresh, something unique. After all, COSMOS is all about going out of our comfort zones, right? (My decision to join the team was definitely not influenced by my friend persistently persuading me to join. Nope, no influence whatsoever.)
Of course, just joining the team itself means nothing; the vast number of people who signed up but didn’t show up to any meetings or actually do any work can attest to that. So now that you’re at the point that you signed up but don’t think you’ll be of any use, try to help out in any little way you can. Maybe it’s taking one or two photos that could complement the cluster article; maybe it’s co-editing with someone else so that writers get double the feedback. Who knows, maybe even by the end of the COSMOS program you’ll feel ready and motivated enough to write your own article!
But whatever you do, I’m sure you’ll have a blast. I started out hesitant and unsure of what I was doing, but at the end was happy and proud that I was able to be a part of such an amazing experience at COSMOS.
— Elliott Kau (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
@2020_newsletter,
Hello! I'm assuming you're reading this because you're willing to participate. It's a fun experience. Keep your Editor-in-Chief happy. Work hard. If you’re a writer, try to write grammatically correct and thematically coherent articles, and be sure to write them on time. If you're an editor, try to edit as fast and harsh as possible. If you’re a layout designer / photographer / video editor, don’t procrastinate — push people to give you the material you need to work with as fast as possible.
To the future Editor-in-Chief – as the de facto writing / editing coordinator for the 2019 endeavor – I strongly suggest you to push your team to its limits. Set deadlines a day earlier than they’re comfortable with. Refuse to credit people who don’t have the ability to work on the items they signed up to complete. Find writers who can write, editors who can edit, and photographers who can take good pictures. Try to find a couple of writers or editors who you can trust to manage your team and make sure both deadlines and standards are met. We all know that when we’re given some slack, we waste none of it. Be kind but not blindly so. I know I sound harsh, but trust me, this will make the newsletter go a lot more smoothly.
Have fun. Make friends that will last longer than this camp. Spend time with them. What you learn will stick, but it’s the relationships you make that will really change you. I don’t know what else to say. Cherish the time you have here, because y’all ain’t gonna come here again. You have no idea what you’re gonna experience, do you :))
– ANDREW YU (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
As the 2019 COSMOS Newsletter comes to an end, it’s time to pass on the torch to you all! Being a part of the COSMOS Newsletter has been such a privilege and unforgettable experience, and I want to ensure that you enjoy it as much as I did. To all the future writers, don’t be scared to go out of your comfort zone! Try interviewing different faculty members, write funny articles, and make entertaining cluster summaries. The bottom line is you won’t be able to do this a second time, so go all out (make sure to stay COSMOS-inclusive)!
Although it’s hard not to procrastinate, try to pace your writing or else you’ll end up cramming everything in until 11:59 PM! It has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs; however, I wouldn’t trade any of these memories or friends I’ve made through the newsletter. I cannot wait to see what the 2020 newsletter edition holds, good luck!
— Angelina Lee (Cluster 1, writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
First things first, I really appreciate those of you who volunteered to join the Newsletter. To those who are hesitant about joining, the newsletter provides you the opportunity to express any ideas in any format. This year, we had many fun articles stretching from an article about No Cosmos Couples to Chonky the Squirrel. If you don’t want to write, you can still contribute by submitting photos, videos, and even memes.
To the writers, I highly recommend you all to write out your notable experiences at COSMOS. Especially for Cluster writers, do not just write about your lectures, find a highlight of your week. Since my cluster was heavily lecture-based, it was often difficult to find an interesting topic to write about but always know that your fellow cluster comrades are more than willing to help you brainstorm.
Enjoy your time at COSMOS, share your memorable moments, and build connections that will last a lifetime. Good luck, and have fun!
– KEVIN WANG (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
Satire is the key to success. Cynicism, sarcasm, and hyperbole creates a vortex of rapt attention into the readers’ hearts.
– RICHARD CHEN (Cluster 9, writer/editor)
To 2020:
Signing up to be a part of this newsletter — whether it be for writing, photography/videography, or web design — and sitting (standing?) here with the rest of your newly admitted staff and poring over our letters to you, you, my friend, have already taken i n i t i a t i v e, and I applaud you for doing so.
At least, that’s how I’d felt about joining the newsletter myself last year, when I was in your shoes. I’d been eager to be a part of what I thought would be a relaxed, easygoing student group that’d throw together a couple publications every week. Instead, I’d been surprised (and almost scared off) by how serious our — for lack of a better word — management team would take this newsletter. I’d almost been intimidated out of writing for the newsletter since I’d never intended on treating my efforts as more than a silly, easygoing endeavor. However, I’d quickly come to appreciate the strict standards that our management had held us up to; doing so ensured that they’d be able to receive all articles/photos/other materials on time and create our high-quality publication, macrocosm (which I realize just now should have been called macrocosmos :O ).
I signed up for the Cluster 5 (B E S T and brightest cluster <3) Cluster Life article for our first edition. Which meant a blank screen staring at me on Friday evening. It’d been really hard to put words onto (digital) paper, especially since the only requirement I’d been given was to ‘write a 150-200 word blurb about your cluster in week 1.’ As we’d been the first UCSC COSMOS newsletter, there was not preceding Cluster Life article for me to base my own article off of. I eventually managed to force out a blurb. I’d cut down the article to meet our word limit and sent it off to the editors to tear apart (they didn’t, thankfully). If you’re going to be writing your own Cluster Life article for the first time, don’t worry about how others will receive your article, at least while you’re still in the process of writing it. Retaining your own voice while maintaining just a modicum of personality will let you fully enjoy the writing process and producing work that you’re satisfied with. This goes for all other components of the newsletter — focus on creating something you’re proud of; it’s much easier to edit something you’ve already produced than to work with a blank doc.
In fact, you’ll probably find that, as long as you like what you’ve written, there’s not much you’ll need to edit off (except for too many memes / inside jokes). I’d go as far as to say that if any editor intends on doing more than a few sentence structure/grammatical edits without explanation, you should definitely reach out to them and ask them to provide a thorough critique of your work before they dare tarnish your i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o p e r t y. It’s a learning opportunity for the both of you — you, who’ll learn something valuable in your craft as well as respectfully/professionally inquire somebody about what the hecko they’re doing, and them, who’ll learn how to respectfully edit work / provide critique in the future.
(Another tip for newsletter writers — it’s the ambiance and moods that highlight our days and that memories are formed out of. Represent the Cluster Experience TM with the highlights of the week, representing the experience itself over cold, hard facts. (At the same time, do make sure you touch base with what you’ve learned each day though.) )
The Cluster Life articles for the next two weeks came easily; I’d been satisfied with the way my first article had come out and worked with the same natural, fluid tone that I’d use before. When I’d got around to actually begin writing, they’d been the highlights of my Friday evenings. And, and, best part — all I’d feel like you’re doing is taking a bit of time out of my week to put words on a document, but my instructors (b l e s s Barcello) /a few students genuinely enjoyed my writing and inspired me to continue contributing. And there’d been my friend’s mom who remembered me as the gal who’d write for the newsletter. It’s nice to be appreciated yehno?
The last newsletter article is hard. And it kinda sucks. It’s okay to feel sad about it. That’s just the way it is.
To conclude my longer-than-expected letter to you, congratulations on joining the COSMOS 2020 newsletter. Your work will only be remembered online forever and ever — you’ll genuinely look back and feel grateful to be a part of such a large effort.
– CAROLYN QIAN (Cluster 5, writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
First off, welcome to the newsletter team! I had a great time with these amazing people, and hope you do too. To the future writers, I encourage you all to try out new things! Write about the trivial things, about funny events that you’d like to share, about anything. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask to write an article that’s not a cluster summary or coverage of a COSMOS event. If you want to try to take pictures or draw something, ask to switch roles! Everyone is chill, I promise.
Perhaps most importantly, don’t procrastinate. I know, easier said than done, but when you’re speed typing and panicking at 11:59, with a whole 200 words left to write, you’re not going to have a good time trying to get your words to make sense whilst still being entertaining/interesting (trust me, I speak from experience).
Actually most importantly, enjoy yourself! This camp was an amazing four weeks, but only if you make it so—reach out to your fellow newsletter people, your cluster, people outside your cluster. Don’t be afraid to make new friends; everyone is on the same page as you. Good luck, and have fun!
– YELENA TAO (Cluster 2, writer)
Dear COSMOS 2020 Newsletter,
Congrats on making it into COSMOS and welcome to the newsletter team! You will meet the overachievers of the overachievers here. First off, make comic strips. You’ll be surprised how many great jokes and memes you can make. If you need help with where to find fun color palettes, go on coolors.co! Secondly, don’t be scared to speak your mind. If you don’t like something, talk to someone about it and compromise with your newsletter team! This camp is where you can learn to become a better teammate and a better leader. Lastly, you will have the best experience of your life at COSMOS; it is truly an unforgettable four weeks. Be sure to push your limits by exploring new topics and meeting new people! Good luck!
– Grace and Lily (cluster 5, comics)
To Video Editors:
Please please please plan your videos ahead of time so you can edit more creatively with much better flow than what we had. Also, take as many videos on your own as you can because very few people send videos and yet everyone wants to be in the videos. That being said, find the few people who are willing to take videos because there are always a few. Good luck trying to represent all 10 clusters.
- Braden Wong and Junwoo Kang (cluster 2, video)
To the Photographers,
Welcome to the 2020 newsletter team! Only the best of the best have the motivation to push themselves to work harder and become better people among California's brightest minds. As for photography—we're all photographers! Just keep clicking away, and I'm sure some good ones will come out. To the head photographer: being head photographer isn't easy—you have to constantly make evening announcements and make sure photos stream in. Collecting photos is and was definitely the hardest part. Over the weeks, many methods for collecting photos have tried and failed, but ultimately the best method is to have a google drive folder with 4 folders for the 4 weeks, and within those have folders for all 10 clusters. I wish you all the best, and remember, capture those memories!
- Manan Bhargava (cluster 2, photography)