Sage Levine | Learning to love my work
Credit: Tyler Kliem, Derek Wong
It takes a lot of work and pride in my work.
Maybe the ever-fleeting feeling of satisfaction fuels me to push myself even harder. Or maybe there is a gap in my self-confidence that stops me from taking it too seriously. Whatever it is, it’s still something that I’m working on. And I’m okay with that.
Yet, at the risk of sounding clichés or cheesy, at my time, the Daily Pennsylvanian has had a rewarding collaborative process, and how passion truly fuels meaning and purpose.
The video nook at 4015 Walnut Street, nestled in the corner of the bustling newsroom, is where I always felt most at home. I can still imagine myself settling into a worn red swivel chair, one hand holding a greasy slice of pizza and the other rearranging video clips in an Adobe Premiere timeline. I can hear pop music blasting from a nearby computer, and observer chaos erupting in the design section over the next day’s print paper. We’re all exhausted, and yet deep down, there’s an overwhelming excitement that comes with knowing just how important our reporting is.
The 136th Board for the DP’s annual banquet at the multimedia department. (Photo From Sage Levine)
In moments like these, my heart swelled with pride, because I knew just how much every single person around me really was. Whether it’s a photo essay about the best outdoor study spots on campus, or a hard-hitting story about college admissions scandal in Penn’s role, what we knew was publishing had an impact on the Penn community and beyond.
Some of the more significant events that I have had visually documenting the tremendous privilege that have taken place over the past several years, many of which I have not yet processed. Walter Wallace Jr. of fatal shooting over police with Protesters clashing An Presidential election of results of an entire city celebrating. An infectious virus keeping us in lockdown.
While these events function independently of my involvement, I understand that my position is as much as one’s own organization is responsible and thoughtfully and respectfully covering them, meaningfully in their own right. Even more so, in my role is the collaborative journalistic process – coordinating coverage with photographers, reporters, copy and news editors, audience engagement associates, etc. – was valuable and, above all, rewarding.
We all become our most creative and hard-working selves while working together, and that’s something to be proud of.
And while I can look back on my work at DP, I found that everything I had in it, I can also look back and laugh at some of the more… interesting videos I chose to publish. I am often deeply humbled looking back at my earliest work, but I am as well as anyone else who has ever been involved in the production process, and the extraordinary effort of being acutely aware of that goes into making a video. Even with the full knowledge that most of you are reading this column, a DP video, I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to find and tell stories on such a public platform (even if only for a few select people).
Overall, the DP shaped my college experience more than I know, more than I might ever know. And while I wish I had an emotional bandwidth or offer to the authority for a more poignant reflection, here’s what I will say:
To the 135th and 136th boards – especially my fellow multimedia board members – thank you for your endless support, patience, and encouragement. Our time together was filled with a messy, beautiful whirlwind of emotions, and I miss it every day.
These past four years, my gratitude is beyond words. You know who you are. I love you all.
Lastly, to my parents – especially my mom, who has emerged from one of the hardest years of her life stronger than ever – I couldn’t have done this without you.
So as we hurtle toward graduation and the uncertainties that come with post-grad life, I can say with confidence that I am proud of myself and endlessly proud of what this organization has made of it.
Credit: Kylie Cooper Sage Levine (left) and former DP Video Editor Luke Hrushanyk (right) filming a Black Lives Matter protest at City Hall.
Long live DP video!
SAGE LEVINE is a graduating college senior from Atlantic Highlands, NJ studying philosophy, politics, and economics and cinema and media studies. She served as the video editor on The Daily Pennsylvanian’s 136th Board of Editors and Managers, and the Video Producer on the 135th Board. Prior, she was a video associate, videographer, and photographer.
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