It is bittersweet as I write this, as my time as editor-in-chief is almost over. Being in charge of this newspaper has been one of the genuine highlights of my life, full of challenges, creative growth and stress, but I would not trade it for the world. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have shaped and steered such an important platform for student voices.
I must acknowledge my hard-working team—without them, none of this would have been possible. To all my incredible editors, heads of section, and my deputy: thank you. Your tireless commitment, creativity, and passion have helped us achieve more than I could have ever imagined. Everything we’ve accomplished this year has been a testament to your talent and dedication.
Through leading this newspaper, I discovered one of my true passions—graphic design. When I began my time at Gair Rhydd as head of Spotlight, I thought I wanted to be a journalist, writing stories, investigating, and interviewing. However, as I spent more time with InDesign, I realised I had a real talent for formatting and layouts. This is potentially something I want to turn into a career, but we shall see what happens after I graduate.
As any third-year student would agree, life after graduation is an uncertain and intimidating time. For the past few years, university has given us a structure, and suddenly, all of that falls away. As someone who still doesn’t know where they’ll be or what they’ll be doing next year, I find that uncertainty both daunting and, in some ways, strangely exciting.
There’s a lot of pressure to have everything figured out—the perfect job lined up, the next steps mapped out, a five-year plan in place. But the truth is, not everyone leaves university with absolute clarity, and that’s okay. I’m learning to sit with the unknown, to trust that the skills, confidence, and resilience I’ve gained, particularly from my time at Gair Rhydd, will guide me through whatever comes next.
It’s scary to leave behind something that has meant so much to me, but it’s also a reminder that growth often happens in the spaces between uncertainty. If my experience here has taught me anything, it’s that I’m capable of anything, and that I might discover a lot about myself on the way.
After we lost everything at Welsh Regionals, I was determined to make our next newspaper the best one we had published all year. Issue 1205—our budget cuts issue—is, in my opinion, the strongest edition we’ve produced. From investigative reports to our best-ever design, it’s the issue I’m most proud of.
One of my proudest achievements is winning at the Student Publication Association awards in April. For the first time in seven years, Gair Rhydd was recognised on a national level. Receiving “Highly Commended” for our newspaper design was something I did not expect, especially given how most other student publications have dedicated designers or teams to assist with layouts.
Every single page we submitted for the award came from Issue 1205, making it not only a standout edition in my eyes but also an officially award-winning one. I’m proud to say that I handled the majority of the design for that issue, putting in long hours to refine every layout, align every margin, and bring each page to life visually. To see that work recognised on a national level was a moment I’ll always treasure.
As I pass the baton to the next editor-in-chief, James Roberts, I do so with immense pride and excitement for what’s to come. This newspaper has an extraordinary legacy, and I know it’s in good hands. His ideas and creativity will surely allow this newspaper to reach new heights, and I wish him every success.
To our readers, thank you for engaging with our stories, offering feedback, and being part of our community. It’s been an honour to be a part of Gair Rhydd. Thank you.