So another school year has passed — some of us are finally moving out of the dorms and into apartments and others are moving into the real world, but we all have one thing in common — at least it’s over.

Actually, I guess that doesn’t sound so good — it used to, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’m ready to go home and leave behind the friends, the crushes and overall hilarity.

Before I go, though, I thought it would be appropriate to include a word from myself and Alex Switzer, the two kids who will be in charge of the revamped arts section next semester — Pulse.

If you remember, at the beginning of the year, we started a contest asking you to send us suggestions for our new name while we temporarily adopted the moniker of “Features.” After reviewing the submissions, the people in charge, curiously not desk editor Keith DuCharme or I, chose our new section name, Pulse.

I figure the logic behind it is that the life of any heart requires a pulse, and without arts and entertainment, there would be no pulse to the Daily. Sure, that explanation is the biggest bit of ego stroking ever, but I think it’s along those lines and, even so, I like living with the illusion that what we do is vital to the community.

Actually, working as an arts desk editor on campus, I always hear kids saying how Iowa is a dead scene in terms of art, literature and music.

Although it may be true that we are not New York City, we can’t sell ourselves short. We have plenty going on here, and I want to make it the duty of Pulse to show you there are things going on around Iowa.

I think it will be the most interesting part of the Daily, hands down. Between Alex, a features enthusiast, and myself, an arts enthusiast, we should be able to mix and match a bunch of good things together. But I guess you’ll have to find out for yourself — I’m not making any promises.

— Dante Sacomani

Howdy doody, kids. This is your Pulse editor, Alex Switzer. During the past year, I have seen the arts & entertainment/features/Pulse section of our paper try to get its foot in the door and sit at the big boy table. Well, look out — this little dynamo just got out of the slammer, and if you mess with it, it’ll knock you flat on your ass with its now-tattooed knuckles.

Seriously though, this upcoming year will be our time to shine and bring you bigger and better stories.

I know some of you like all those band previews that we print relentlessly, but in addition to such meanderings, we’re going to try to bring you down deeper to where the heart of the story lies — down to Walt Whitman’s level of observation where everything has its own tale to tell. This will be my first year as editor and my last year as an undergraduate student, so I am going to make it my mission to please you with stories of heartbreak, accomplishment, emotion and humor — anything to make your day (or that hour during Economics 101) a little more enjoyable.Whenever we strive to reach such high yet reachable goals, the heart of the movement begins within the walls of the Daily.

Not only will I make sure our reporters dig deep for your benefit, I will also make sure they conduct themselves at the highest levels of journalism standards. Don’t wave the flag at us, though — we here at the Daily know how to have a good time. As is the old proclamation: We work hard and play harder. During this past year, I have witnessed exploding cans of soda, handfuls of cake shoved into faces, and numerous DPS employees running, frightened for their lives — and that’s just in the office.

So I pass the ball to you, all students out there, even if you’re not a journalism major — come check us out. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work for a paper, this is an invaluable experience.

Or, if you don’t like how we do things, get your butt in here and help us make things better through your own efforts — after all, this is your paper — take action!

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed our work this year, and I will make sure we’re at our best to keep you all tickled and giggling in the fall. So, in the immortal words of Kip Dynamite — “peath out.”

— Alex Switzer