My journey with the Sheaf and vision for the 2025-2026 Sheaf publications

I joined the Sheaf in 2023 as a staff writer. I was in my second year of studies at USask and wanted to find a sense of belonging and community on our large campus. I first heard of the Sheaf from my older sister, who, a couple of years prior, had served as opinions editor for the paper. 

I originally intended to work with the Sheaf for just one year to gain a new experience. If you were to tell me then that I would be with the Sheaf for two more years, I would have probably not believed you. While I was an avid news watcher and greatly enjoyed reading the newspaper delivered to our house daily, I wasn’t someone who was known for writing journalism articles in my spare time. 

However, I soon fell in love with communicating stories that mattered to students and the welcoming and supportive environment that the Sheaf cultivates. 

I still remember my first interview with the Sheaf hiring committee, which consisted of Shantelle, the business manager, and Becky, a board member who professionally worked as a freelance journalist. I was nervous going into the interview, but within a few minutes, they both made me feel incredibly welcomed and relaxed. Although they had not yet hired me, Becky offered to lend me her own copy of the Canadian Press Style Guide after learning I didn’t have much experience with it. It is this welcoming spirit that has made me feel at home at the Sheaf, and it is this constant supportive environment that is one of the first things I share with people when asked about my experience here. 

Our first staff meeting of that year took place in September. Since then, our team has steadily grown, but in my first year, I was the only staff writer. I was completely lost when it came to pitching an article. I turned to one of the friendly faces I had gotten to know better during Welcome Week and nervously rambled my first set of ideas. One of them was about the housing crisis in Saskatoon, and another was about my experience working in customer service. 

If I thought I was nervous to pitch the article, sharing my first article draft was downright terrifying. Sharing a piece of writing is in many ways like sharing a piece of yourself. The experience is one of vulnerability, laced with thoughts of “Will they judge my writing? Will they hate how I phrased this idea? Will anyone even want to read this article?”’

Over time, I have come to appreciate my growth as a writer, gaining confidence in my writing skills and also in the knowledge that the role of the editors is not to judge your work or you as an individual but to help you share your message in the most accessible manner with everyone. Still, I cannot help but cringe when I look back at that first piece of writing. 

I will always look back on my first year with the Sheaf with fond memories. Our mere six-person team was tight-knit. We would spend hours chatting about anything and everything during and after the staff meetings. My favourite group activities included going to see a co-worker’s musical, enjoying brunch with the girls and watching another co-worker’s ringette game. Through these activities, I found a family on campus.

In my year as a staff writer, I gravitated towards news pieces. I loved getting the opportunity to interview students and write informative articles to give readers the information they needed to make their own opinions without the influence of the author’s voice. Last year I became the news editor, a role I thoroughly enjoyed! It has been incredibly rewarding to help writers with shaping their stories and grow as writers. 

My favourite part of last year was the size of the team, which included four staff writers and, for the first time, a social media director! Not only were we able to have a larger presence on our website but we were also able to reach out to more students and clubs, covering stories that were important to them. 

Our social media director was creative and grew our Instagram and TikTok pages from the ground up. She also launched a successful job application campaign on our social media pages. A campaign that brought in the talented and enthusiastic individuals I now have the privilege of leading as this year’s editor-in-chief.

I am beyond excited to serve as the editor-in-chief for this academic year! My vision for this year’s publications is one that represents the voices of students at its heart. After all, The Sheaf is a paper written by students, for students. 

The Sheaf is an independent journalistic organization keeping you informed on the USSU and university administration. It is your source for learning about student associations, clubs and the many exciting and invigorating events they host! It is a space for you to share your opinions on the hard-hitting topics that matter to you — like what is even going on with the Riverdale series. 

Last year, my first article of the year was on what the Sheaf does and how to get involved (shameless plug, here is the link to the article. I encourage students to volunteer with the Sheaf, whether that be by submitting pitch ideas, articles, or editing. Our office is always open for students to pop by and chat with me or other members of the team.

More than anything, my vision for the Sheaf is to create that same welcoming and supportive atmosphere that I experienced thanks to my predecessors. I have gotten to call this office home, the team a piece of my heart, and this journal a highlight of my time in university.