by Sydney Cloutier ’27 on September 17, 2026
Editor's Column
Hi PC! Welcome to yet another year of The Cowl! My name is Sydney Cloutier, and I am Co-Editor-In-Chief of The Cowl this school year. I’m a current senior majoring in creative writing and minoring in film. When I’m not at PC, I live with my family in Massachusetts. Previously, I was a writer for the portfolio section of our paper for two years before I became the portfolio section editor last year. After taking a brief hiatus from The Cowl to study abroad in London last spring, I am now back and ready to take on my new role as one of the editors-in-chief of The Cowl.
I first joined The Cowl during my second semester of my freshman year. After a tough first semester of college, I was ready to drop out or transfer. But, my parents convinced me to stick it out for a full year and really try to give PC a fair shot. I decided that I needed an outlet to get out of my head and meet people with interests similar to my own. I did what all freshmen do and went down to the involvement fair, where I stumbled upon The Cowl’s booth. I was a little hesitant since I had never written anything that would be considered a “typical newspaper article,” and I typically write fiction. However, when I spoke with the editorial board, I discovered the portfolio section, where people submit any sort of creative writing. As someone who loves to write and tell stories, I immediately applied to write for the portfolio section. Publishing microfiction and poetry gave me a creative outlet to deal with my emotions rather than ruminating. I was eventually able to make some great friends who also enjoy writing through The Cowl, which helped me feel a little less alone. When I became the editor of the portfolio section, I truly felt like I was in a place where I belonged. From then on, The Cowl became less of just a way to clear my head and more of a club full of friends who I could connect with and relate to. As you can see, I never did end up dropping out or transferring to another school. And although The Cowl is not really the reason I stayed, I am happy to say it is something that makes me glad I did stay.
I’m really excited to be one of the editors-in-chief of The Cowl this year! I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for the newspaper. It is going to be so much fun! I plan on making my last year of The Cowl my best year yet! See you around Friartown!