This semester in journalism, we have two senior editors, Miranda Burgos and Knox Mynatt. Both seniors will be continuing their studies of journalism at college in the fall, Burgos at Elon University, and Mynatt at The University of Missouri. They each have multiple semesters of journalism under their belt during their time at Uni, and figured that to end the year well, they could interview each other. They got a chance to sit down together to ask each other interesting questions about their respective times at Uni to round out the school year, and finish the semester on a fun note.
Miranda: What is your favorite candy spot in Uni?
Knox: KRad’s office. I think that’s the spot to go to.
Miranda: Do you think he has the best selection?
Knox: I mean, it’s a rotating selection. Every now and then, there’s more than one kind of candy, so yeah, I’d say that’s better. No offense to the SSO.
Miranda: Martha Mills had Almond Joys today.
Knox: Who like Almond Joy?
Miranda: I like Almond Joy.
Knox: Alright, well there’s your issue.
Miranda: Alright.
Knox: What is one thing you wish you could have written about in your time in Uni Journalism?
Miranda: This wasn’t writing exactly, but it was a podcast that we worked on for a series that I did with Nathan and Storm. It was called the Hidden History of Uni; we did one on the basement and one on the Slice on the third floor. We wanted to do one on the Kenney Pool, and actually Nathan still wanted to do that this week but we don’t have time, and it’s a little late for that. So I wish I’d gotten to finish that.
Miranda: What is something about Uni that you will not miss?
Knox: The stank. That’s my general statement.
Miranda: Like the food or the people?
Knox: Uni’s stank is kind of a mix of everything. If I walk into the kitchen after lunch, there’s always some kind of scent in there and I don’t know what it is. Same with the lounge.
Knox: If you had to pick one thing, what is the funniest thing that happened in your five years here?
Miranda: This is so hard. There are lots of things that I found funny that other people probably didn’t find as funny. Like, a lot. Personally, I thought it was really funny when me and Priya hid plastic babies around the school. You did not enjoy it. We thought it was hilarious.
Knox: I did not enjoy it. I would say that’s one of the least funny things that happened.
Miranda: I think [it was funny] when me and Claire Doordashed donuts during Utopias and Dystopias and we made thank you notes— our whole table— with like hearts and stuff, and it said “Thank you Ms. Britney!” And then we went outside and found a thirty-five year old man with a beard and we crumpled up the notes and didn’t give them to him.
Knox: I remember that. That’s good.
Miranda: What is one of the weirdest things you’ve seen happen at Uni?
Knox: There’s a lot of weird things that I’ve seen happen inside of these walls. Last year, I saw three people fit into one pair of pants, and walk.
Miranda: Oh! How big were the pants?
Knox: Very big.
Miranda: I just remembered, one time, Yan found a potato outside—
Knox: He ate it! He cooked it and ate it!
Miranda: I would say that’s definitely one of the weirdest things.
Knox: What’s the stupidest thing you’ve heard someone say [at Uni]?
Miranda: I’ve heard a lot of stupid things, but one of them that I remember is: “Krypton? Isn’t that an elephant?”
Knox: That’s pretty solid. If I had an answer to that question, [it would be when] Ms. Tidrick asked, “What do you get when you combine red and blue Playdoh?” And an unnamed person said, “Yellow!” I don’t think he knows what colors are.
Miranda: What is an extracurricular that you used to do but quit?
Knox: None of them, actually.
Miranda: Really?
Knox: I’ve been in three sports all five years.
Miranda: So nothing, no instrument?
Knox: I’ve never played an instrument. I’ve just been doing the same thing for five years straight.
Knox: If you could take one item to steal from Uni, what would it be? Something insane to steal.
Miranda: What do I even like here enough to steal? I think Pickles the Dragon in the library is pretty cute.
Knox: I would take the foosball table.
Miranda: If you could add anything to the senior lounge or improve it in some way, what would you choose?
Knox: New couches, because the ones we have are gross. I think the leather couch is good, because you can’t get stuff stuck on it. It’s easier to clean than the other ones, but I think leather is also a weird material for the lounge. Just better furniture for the lounge. And more tables too, because the ones that we have are falling apart.
Miranda: I feel like it would be fun to have a TV; I heard that they used to.
Knox: There used to be a TV, and there was a Wii.
Miranda: Aw. I love the Wii!
Knox: What was your least favorite class at Uni?
Miranda: Physics.
Knox: First semester or second semester?
Miranda: First semester, because I only took it one semester.
Knox: Good choice.
Miranda: How many eras would you say you’ve had during your time at Uni?
Knox: Buzzcut, COVID, extremely long hair, that other one, shorter hair, the stache. Six.
Knox: This one you have to have an answer to. What do you miss about Compass?
Miranda: It’s hard to think back that far.
Knox: You have to have an answer to this, because Compass was obviously better than Canvas.
Miranda: If more teachers used Compass, then I miss that, because some teachers refuse to make a Canvas page to this day. You’ve had like, four years to switch. What are you doing?
Miranda: What is a message you have for future Gargoyle editors?
Knox: Take charge of things. Underclassmen need a lot of guidance, or else they kind of just sit in the corner and gossip all class. Ahem, current underclassmen. Just write things. Post them. Don’t do what I did and write things and be like, “Ahh, I’ve written too much and now I can’t post it.”
Miranda: I will literally still read it.
Knox: I don’t know if I’ll even publish it.
Miranda: You should share the doc with me.
Knox: Ok. Eventually.
Miranda: What is your message for future Gargoyle editors?
Miranda: Keep working on pieces even if you’re not in journalism that semester. Don’t be afraid of asking questions. Find a way to get other people excited about these stories.
Knox: So inspirational.
