Mia Vogel: How her viral story serves as a metaphor for her time on staff

NOVEMBER 17, 2021 — smeharbinger.net’s most-visited day of all time, thanks to my article. “Parting with Potato Soup” is now at 32,372 views and counting, securing its spot amongst the top three most popular Harbinger stories ever. 

I haven’t shut up about it since. 

The 300-word online rant about Panera taking their potato soup off the menu currently has the most clicks of any story published in the last five years. It’s no exaggeration when I tell you this is my life’s greatest accomplishment. 

I know that sounds extreme, but c’mon, I was the girl who got a freaking C in J-1! Freshman year Mia never would’ve seen this coming. She’d hit the floor upon hearing that I’ve survived on staff these past three years, let alone earned an editorial position and a wall full of awards. 

Now, I’m not saying it’s all been glitter and sunshine. My first few months were a tragedy — attempting to navigate the ins and outs of Adobe coupled with the torture of WebEx deadlines was enough to make me consider quitting when I’d barely started. It wasn’t until I began writing reviews that I realized I stood a chance. 

I found my niche, nestled between the feature and sports sections. I’ve written on everything from the latest music to the many uses of matcha tea powder and am often referred to as the “Queen of A&E.” 

The power of infusing my writing with voice and approaching the work with excitement made me realize I have a passion for experiencing and critiquing new things — maybe I’m just a gifted complainer. 

Forgive me for being so sappy, but my time on staff has been a transformative experience. I’ve gone from being the scared little freshman slumped at the table in the back of the J-room to the bubbly senior who’s probably singing along to Taylor Swift way too loud in the back room. It’s given me a sense of purpose and community throughout high school, but much like Panera’s retired potato soup, I’ll have to part ways with Harbinger and move on to my next comforting hyperfixation. 

Despite being totally burnt out and putting everything till the last minute before deadline — including this column — a little part of me is going to miss the wonderfully frantic energy of the J-room, the endless text spam of “can you edit??” or “how does this insta post look?” and, of course, the infamous jouch. Harbinger has gifted me the greatest friendships, a large chunk of my personality and a minor — but by no means insignificant — claim to fame. 

All in all, my time on Harbinger has been just like my potato soup story — unexpectedly successful.