I sat in front of the desk, the fingers on my keyboard stationary in the same position from 20 minutes ago. Write, I told myself. Let the voice speak, let the words take over. But what do I write? What do I tell? What would others think when they read my piece? As if I was a laborious fisherman, stressed, concerned and unsure whether to continue in the sea of my mind, I struggled to pull my words to the surface of the paper. This was the night when I worked on the first piece I would ever write and publish for The Gazelle.

My first piece was a personal essay challenging the stereotypical notion around one’s silence, amplifying the meanings of silence and asking others to respect and listen to those who choose to remain silent or speak in nonverbal ways. It was a difficult piece to write, articulate and publish, the first writing journey of the many that follow filled with a kind of uncertainty that is shared among the writers at The Gazelle.

Laura Assanmal, Class of 2021 and Editor in Chief, had a similar experience with her first article, an opinion piece on dating apps, feminism and Tinder. “It was terrifying writing it. I didn’t know what pitch was and I didn’t know the timeline for publishing,” Assanmal recounted back to her first year.

Likewise, Kaashif Hajee, Class of 2021 and Editor in Chief, shared a similar sentiment for his first piece, an opinion challenging Frank Luntz teaching at NYU Abu Dhabi and inviting Tony Blair as a guest. “I was so nervous writing it, and I was scared and insecure about my writing ability and the thought of putting my ideas out there to express myself,” Hajee shared.

Despite the challenges, some found it irresistible to put forth their voices, as seen in Caroline Sullivan, Class of 2021 and Senior Features Editor, whose first opinion piece vocalized the importance for youth to vote in midterm elections in the U.S. “Being out of the [U.S.], I felt like I was unable to contribute to anything,” she said. “So writing felt like an outlet to take action and be civically engaged.”

Fortunately, writing does not necessarily happen on your own. “There are so many resources and help available for you,” expressed Charlie Fong, Class of 2025 and The Gazelle’s News Editor, who’s first article was a news piece on an NGO for Beirut funded by an NYUAD lecturer. “The desk editors and management will guide you through the process, so you don’t have to worry too much … It’s a very supportive team dynamic.”

Echoing Fong’s statement, Assanmal and Hajee also experienced strong encouragement from The Gazelle’s team during their journey. “Sobha, [who co-authored the piece], supported me through the process. He was like, come on, Kaashif, if you believe in this topic, if you believe in what we are saying, you should be able to express it,” stated Hajee, who struggled to articulate his thoughts without hindrance at first. For Assanmal, the editors provided feedback by reading her draft and giving comments, which alleviated her stress and made writing for The Gazelle possible, a process that seemed impossible originally given her high regard for it.

Yet despite the challenges, many find the experience rewarding in a multitude of ways. “In retrospect, I really believed [in my piece], and it’s so interesting that I actually changed my mind [on the topic],” said Assanmal, who shared about the influence writing and publishing has had on her. “It’s a good reminder of what I thought at the time and what I cared about.”

For Sullivan, the experience had a profound impact on her view of the role of journalism. “It made me realize how impactful writing is, how exciting and important it is to have writing out in the world and how essential journalism is to be an active citizen,” she said.

For Hajee, he remembered refreshing The Gazelle website the night before his article was to be published, overfilled with excitement. “My first piece really gave me the courage to express myself, to speak my truth and not think about what other people would take it,” he shared. “It was the first thing I ever produced on the internet and I was so excited to see it there … It was the first time anything I created had an audience and it was so thrilling to me.”

Speaking on the impacts of writing for The Gazelle, Assanmal shared: “The way people reached out to me made putting my words out there worth it. It has made me a more confident person, a better writer, editor, critical thinker and someone who’s truly more able to engage with ideas different from my own.”

For me, I remember vividly the excitement, terror, joy and stress that arose the morning of the publishing of the article. It was my first piece to be published, the first time my voice was to be read, shared and discussed among strangers and friends. What would they think about me? How would I explain my thoughts if parts were unclear? Yet soon afterwards, my inbox was flooded with messages from friends with words of encouragement and even support from those who I don’t know sharing how the article resonated with them. That day, I saw the power of words, and the significance of sharing, even when it is difficult, became clear to me.

Looking back from where they are now, the editors shared messages to their past self and to those interested in sharing their voices with The Gazelle for the first time.

“In hindsight, I really wish I wasn’t that nervous,” reflected Hajee. “I have to continue to make peace with the idea that not everybody will like what I write, and if everyone enjoys what I write, then [I’m] not saying something. I would tell freshman year Kaashif to speak his truth without thinking of how it will be received.”

Assanmal shared a similar theme of confidence and comfort with one’s voice. “My advice to my past self would be to be less afraid of making mistakes,” she shared. “I would tell myself to allow [one] to not go for the most conventional take, to follow my intuition, because I think you learn far more from the pieces that you look back and have some regrets on than from the piece that you feel complete satisfaction.”

Assanmal also stressed how writing for The Gazelle is a meaningful journey of self discovery. “It provides you with a community of people who care about this campus and their local communities,” she said. “I would remind [prospective writers] that their voices matter and there is no such thing as an inexperienced writer. We want to welcome them, and be reminded that we’re a student publication and we want everyone’s voice to be heard.”

For interested writers, Fong shared her final piece of advice: “Just take the first step, because there are people available to help you through brainstorming and editing. If you don't get started, you're not going to get anywhere. You have to get started somewhere.”