No Word Count: The CT staff says their ‘Warm ‘n’ Fuzzy’ goodbyes
The CT staff said their end-of-semester goodbyes at the 'Warm 'n' Fuzzies' on Tuesday. Photo by Jon Mirador
Andrew Ringle, Managing Editor
It’s the end of the semester at VCU, and that means The CT staff is ending their weekly print production schedule with a celebration known as the “Warm ‘n’ Fuzzies.” It’s when editors, staff writers and designers meet to write friendly notes for each other and read them together before going out for dinner.
The newsroom tradition is a way to say farewell to graduating seniors and friends leaving for break. Not even executive editor Georgia Geen knows when it started, but it’s a staff favorite that will likely last for many years to come.
I talked with Georgia about the history of the “Warm ‘n’ Fuzzies” in the latest episode of my podcast, No Word Count. I also got her to read one of the notes she received, along with Sports Editor Noah Fleischman, Spectrum Editor Iman Mekonen and News Editor Hannah Eason.
To listen, click the embedded link above. Here’s an excerpt from the podcast:
AR: I went ahead and asked the sports editor, Noah Fleischman, to give me his take on the “Warm and Fuzzies.”
Noah Fleischman: It is a room full of awkwardness and laughing.
AR: Huh.
That wasn’t enough, so I asked spectrum editor Iman Mekonen and news editor Hannah Eason for their definitions.
Iman Mekonen: I would say “Warm and “Fuzzies” is basically when The CT staff all gets together and we write notes to each other. It’s kind of like an end of the year thing. And when we write notes to each other, that makes us all feel more warm and fuzzy.
Hannah Eason: We just like give each other the chance to kind of say something nice to end the semester, you know, we always want to end on a good note. So I think it’s just like a little time to appreciate each other.
