Aanya Bansal: Harbinger’s positive impact on me can’t be condensed to single moments

Ever since I joined staff my sophomore year, I knew I’d eventually have to write my senior column.

So, two weeks ago I started brainstorming by making a list of everything that I’ve learned from Harbinger. I wrote down time management, communication skills, talking to adults…then I stopped. It’s impossible to create a bulleted list of everything I’ve gained from Harbinger — my vocab simply isn’t expansive enough. 

And so, as Tate urges all writers to do, I’m going to show — not tell — a few moments where I gained a little something from staff.

My first story idea ever — and where my first lesson came from — was about Hy-Vee potentially hiring armed security guards. So I took it upon myself to waltz into my usual Hy-Vee on State Line and ask to speak to the manager (who unfortunately was on vacation). But I was on a time crunch — as any staff writer would understand — so I started asking every employee in sight, from the assistant manager to a teenager restocking the aisles, about their thoughts on armed officers at their workplace. 

Though this story fell through a couple days later and I ended up writing about student store interviews, it was still a valuable experience. Right out of the gate, I felt that I’d matured 30 years, and here’s why:

I was forced to think on my feet. 

I stepped out of my comfort zone and went up to random employees, explained the situation, asked if I could record our conversation and thought of questions on the spot. Some turned me away — like a baker who was in the middle of icing a triple-tiered birthday cake — and others wouldn’t let me leave — like the opinionated butcher in the process of separating turkey slices. I left on a high — the journalists at the New York Times had nothing on me, a sophomore who had just questioned every employee at her local Hy-Vee.

But my time on staff gave me more than just people skills and the chance to tear up a local grocery store.

From a trip to the University of Kansas for a class on climate change with Veronica to late-night birthday celebrations with the PDF team, I’ve experienced both the college lifestyle and pretending I wasn’t scared of Bridget’s Bigfoot-sized dog. 

If it weren’t for Tate’s critiques, my ability to take constructive criticism would be nonexistent. Without ads days, I wouldn’t have had the chance to learn how to market a product and eventually sell my first ad in the private office of the manager of Pretzel Boys — or have gotten any free pretzels as a prize.

If I didn’t join Harbinger, I would never have discovered Greyson’s love for jelly beans or just how bad Bridget is at spelling.

And that’s not even a fraction of what I’ve gained from staff. Like I said before, it’s too much to list. But one thing I can say is that I gained something from every moment I’ve spent on Harbinger.