“Mom, can you pick me up? I’m scared.”

Returning to campus during a pandemic is eerily similar to that classic movie scene of someone wanting to go home because of the risks in their current situation.

But this is now our real-life scenario, and it could be a matter of life and death for some of us.

This is an unpredictable time for everyone, including myself, the editor-in-chief of the Iowa State Daily for the 2020-21 academic year.

Like most of you, I’m worried about in-person classes, parties and more with the risk of COVID-19. The pandemic is certainly not over and should still be a huge concern of the Iowa State and Ames communities.

My top priority this year is to serve these communities with the news they want, need and deserve.

The Iowa State Daily no longer has a print product, but we’re still here for you. We are creating high-quality content that is distributed on our various digital platforms.

We strive to cover important events and movements while also providing in-depth profiles and entertaining feature stories.

Another priority of mine is to create and strengthen relationships with individuals and groups around campus and Ames. I am always searching for communication with anyone and everyone for feedback on how we can not only improve our content, but also how to be more mindful of the identities of the people we serve.

We at the Iowa State Daily value the voices and perspectives of everyone and want to continuously improve for those who belong to the communities of the university and Ames.

The content we are so dedicated to putting out can be found on our website and @iowastatedaily on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook page. We also have a Twitter specifically for our sports coverage and one for our coverage of politics and government.

Our newsletter, the Daily Dose, is accessible through our website where you can enter your email address to receive news daily.

I encourage the Iowa State and Ames communities to follow us on our social media platforms to stay up to date with what is happening around us.

As you navigate your first week back to classes, remember to be considerate of the health and safety of yourself and others. Wear a face covering at all possible times — find ones that match your own personal style — practice social distancing and avoid large crowds.

Feel free to reach out to me individually — [email protected] — I’d love to virtually meet with you for a conversation about our content and how we can improve our news process for you and the communities to which you belong.

Despite the chaos around us, I’m so excited for this year and thankful I have the opportunity to lead such wonderful student journalists who are devoted to their work and all of you.

Good luck Cyclones.

Stay safe.