Tomorrow, after a visit to the press where the Independent is printed, our four college fellows will leave their summer assignments behind. We asked them for short reflections on their 10 weeks here; their responses converge at only a few points. They liked the chance to experiment. They wrote a lot of good stories. They had fun. They liked you. I hope their notes reveal something we’re out to remind everyone: reporters are not the enemy of the people. —Edward Miller
I SET FOOT in Truro for the first time ever when I arrived here for the Independent’s summer fellowship. After two months of writing about this place, it has begun to feel like home. I have a favorite beach (Longnook) and a favorite pond (Dyers), and I have an ever-growing rolodex of Truro residents and members of town government. I will miss this place when I leave, and I am grateful to everyone who made me feel welcome. Does anyone have a place I could rent next summer? It seems a shame for all those phone numbers to go to waste. —Ben Glickman (Brown University, ’23)
THE FIRST TIME Ben Glickman and I drove out to the Independent’s Provincetown office, he asked me what kind of music I listen to. I told him, “It’s summer, so, country.” In typical New York City fashion, he dismissed the genre. Undeterred, I hit him with a steady diet of George Strait, Chris Stapleton, and the Zac Brown Band. One night at a beach fire, he said, “Just don’t give Alex the aux.” Well, I got the aux. And somewhere between Florida Georgia Line’s “May we all” and Tim McGraw’s “Shotgun Rider” a switch must’ve flipped. This past Saturday we were driving down Long Pond Road on our way to Newcomb and Ben said, “You know, country music really is the vibe in the summer.” —Alex Sharp (Tufts University, ’23)
I’M GRATEFUL FOR the chance to glimpse the richness and energy that drives the communities here. I didn’t have a beat for the Independent, which allowed me to dip my toes into sports, composting, the flea market, immigration, residential taxes, and Covid troubles. Curiosity led me from one to the next, and the character of community members drew me into the details of each. I am grateful to the Independent for giving me an instant home, endless learning opportunities, and the freedom to ask many questions. —Sophie Hills (Principia College, ’22)
ONE WEEK IN July, I interviewed two colleagues for segments on the “Indie News Hour” radio show. Both interviews elicited emails from my boss, Teresa Parker. The first was celebratory. “You on the radio!” read the subject line. As for my conversation with Sophie Hills about composting, Teresa titled the message, “You on the radio…” Maybe it wasn’t my best work. I had tried too hard to mimic Michael Barbaro, the host of the New York Times podcast “The Daily.” Hmm. Well, I guess you can fake it ’til you make it, because I’m happy to say we’ll be continuing our work on the radio, Fridays at 9 a.m. on WOMR. —Cam Blair (Hamilton College, ’21)
