Last Sunday, I was on a video call with a good friend. He asked, “When’s your official last day at the top?” “Thursday 22 May – a week and a half from now. Quite soon, isn’t it?” “And how do you feel about that?” was his next question. I felt a completely unexpected wave of emotion wash over me. And here I was thinking I was very calm and collected about stepping down as editor-in-chief on 1 June. It’s my own decision, after all, and one I’ve been preparing for all year. I’ve also got a dream successor lined up: my colleague Wendy Degens.
Suprise myself
How well do we really know ourselves? It seems I can still surprise myself. Apparently, after 29 years at the helm, I’m more emotional about handing over the reins than I’d allowed myself to admit – perhaps out of a sense of self-protection, who knows? When I mentioned it both at home and at work, the response was the same: “What did you expect? It’s only natural.” The next day, at the swimming pool in Eijsden, my swim buddy added, “You should never be ashamed of your emotions, no matter what anyone else thinks.”
Taking a step back
So, I’m taking a step back. Technically it’s called a demotion, as I’m not leaving Observant. I’ll stay on as an editor, and hope to contribute many more articles, until I retire. “But what about the new editor-in-chief, WD?” I can hear you thinking. “Won’t it be awkward for her, having her predecessor looking over her shoulder?”
More than ready
I hope not, and I don’t expect it to be. We’ve spent the past year preparing both ourselves and the team for this transition, handling all kinds of editor-in-chief duties together, from national meetings with fellow university newspapers and meetings with our Foundation Board here in Maastricht to assessment and appraisal interviews. WD is more than ready. And I’m ready to move into a different role – and a different office. It’ll definitely take some getting used to, and emotions may bubble up every now and then. So be it. But I’ve made one firm promise to myself: I won’t get in the new editor-in-chief’s way. I wouldn’t do that to her or the team.
Back next week for my final editorial!