Name: Rachel Bass
Editor-in-Chief of Under The Button
Year: Senior
Hometown: Moorestown, New Jersey
Major: Creative Writing and Psychology
1)Tell us a little bit about Under the Button
Under The Button is Penn’s 24/7 news and entertainment blog! We cover all things Penn–from the breaking news students want to know to the bizarre, funny things you see on campus. We write with a witty, relatable tone and get to really weigh in on what’s going on at Penn. Whether we’re breaking the Fling performer or writing comedic features, we try to make everyone’s Penn experience a little funnier and lighter, and remind everyone to not take everything so seriously.
2)What inspired you to become Editor-in-Chief for Under the Button?
I started writing for Under The Button my freshman year and it was without a doubt the best decision I have made here. I wanted to become Editor-in-Chief because Under The Button has always been the thing I’ve been most passionate about at Penn. I love every single person on staff and I am unbelievably proud of the content we put out every day. People say this about everything, but I really don’t know what I would have done, or who I would be, without it.
3)What is it like being Editor-in-Chief for Under the Button?
Being Editor-in-Chief has been a transformative and worthwhile experience for me. I have so much respect for the past UTB EICs, current UTBabes and everyone who works at 34th Street and the DP. The amount of time and energy that everyone puts in to make these publications a success is both absurd and inspiring. My position is definitely time-consuming, but I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t love the blog so much. All of the work, editing and time is worth it. Under The Button has become a part of Penn life, and it’s pretty surreal to think that I have played a role in that.
4)What has been your favorite feature?
It’s hard to say, but I think my favorite feature that we’ve published has to be the Best And Worst Fling Tanks. We do the feature every year, and we always get a ton of photos tipped to us from all parts of Penn. I think this feature in particular embodies a lot of what we do–we make jokes, we’re sarcastic as hell and we write about Penn students for Penn students. Other than that, I wrote a post about a prank email that went out to the Wharton listserv last year saying that there was a new 1-hour community service requirement. It ended up going viral and got picked up by Business Insider, which was pretty awesome.
5)What is your favorite place to work on campus?
The Van Pelt isolation carrels. That sounds worse than it is, but I’m kind of crazy about noise in a study space…I pretty much need silence. I have tried SO many other places, but I swear only VP works.