Not every win makes the front page — but advisors know the quiet victories matter just as much as the bold headlines. This semester may have been filled with long nights, last-minute edits, and tough conversations, but woven between those moments were genuine reasons to celebrate. Are you celebrating the small victories? If you have children, you know the most sensitive child, the one who can laugh it off, and the other who wants to appease and not get in trouble. Or what about the quite students who stayed in their lane, only to one day find their voice and become a better leader than most natural-born ones.
For many of us, the wins looked different this time around. Maybe it was that first-year reporter who finally wrote with confidence — not because you told them to, but because they believed they could. Or the section editor who learned to give constructive feedback instead of rewriting everything themselves. Or maybe it was watching your team rally after a setback, pulling together to meet a deadline you weren’t sure you’d make.
Those are the wins that make this job worth it.
As advisors, we often measure success by progress, not perfection. Seeing students mature in their writing, manage their time better, or handle criticism without taking it personally — that’s growth. And growth is the kind of win that sticks long after the final issue is printed.
Some of the best moments this semester weren’t even about the publication itself, but the community around it — the laughter in the newsroom, the teamwork during production week, the pride on students’ faces when the latest edition hits the stands. Those are the moments that remind us why we advise: not just to build strong journalists, but to help shape strong people.
As we wrap up the semester, take a moment to celebrate your newsroom’s unique victories — big or small. Because in the fast pace of deadlines and drafts, it’s easy to overlook just how far your students have come.
The wins that matter most aren’t always the ones the readers see. They’re the ones that change the people who create the stories.
What small victories did you see this semester?
