On Paper, I Pen Myself
- Christine Rose Sebastian
SY BSc (2023-2027)
Editor-in-Chief, Kathaa
Here’s the thing about Christine; She is a huge fan of documenting life. She loves taking pictures, she loves capturing videos, and she LOVES penning down her thoughts and experiences. Maybe that is what led her to one of the best experiences of her college life- The 8:10 Newsletter.
Hiii, I am Christine! (Apologies for the dramatic third-person intro earlier, hehe). I am a second-year student at GIPE and the Editor-In-Chief of what I think is the coolest column here at The 8:10 Newsletter, Kathaa.
I wish I had a dramatic anecdote that marked the turning point which ignited a passion for writing in me. But alas, I am just an ordinary girl who, on a very ordinary day, realised she enjoys writing. Throughout my school life, there were moments when my writing received praise, which gave me a tiny bit of confidence. It helped me believe that maybe I am good at this writing thing that I seem to enjoy so much. Had it not been for those small occasional boosts, I probably would’ve given up writing ages ago because what’s the point of doing something if you’re not good at it instantly, right? (Wrong. Please don’t take life advice from me.)
Joining 8:10 wasn’t just about my love for writing; it was also about wanting to be a part of something bigger, a community of diverse yet like-minded people! As criminally cliche as it may sound, my desire for wanting to write and work for a newsletter stemmed from the countless hours spent binge-watching three things- early 2000s rom-coms (where the female lead inevitably works at a magazine), a show called The Bold Type, and of course, Gilmore Girls.
One thing you should know about me is that no matter what, I will romanticise life. I will romanticise the heck out of it. So when I heard about the 8:10 Newsletter during our club orientation in the first week of college, I knew this is where I HAD to be. Where else would I get the chance to not only write, but to also live out my fantasy of being an early 2000s rom-com lead, or Jane Sloan, or Rory Gilmore, typing away on her laptop sitting on her aesthetically decorated little desk (complete with a cup of coffee, obviously)? I even remember jotting down the names of all the clubs during orientation and right beside “8:10” I wrote in all bold, “HAVE TO GET IN!”
From the very first thing I wrote for 8:10, my writing has been a reflection of who I am and the things I love. The piece I submitted for the selection round was about how taking photographs is such a precious gift. The article titled “The One With a Gold Neck” about my trip to Kerala, which had been a wonderful experience, happens to be one of my favourite articles I wrote for the 8:10 in my first year.
This is who I am. I love living moments, capturing them, and sharing them through my words. I couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of the 8:10 newsletter because it allows me to do exactly that.