I doubt anyone likes to make a mistake. Many writers write about mistakes and regrets in their songs or other works. Most likely you’ve made an error on a test when you really did know the right answer. At that point, all you could do was kick yourself in regret and hope not to do the same thing again. Maybe you’ve participated in some sport, in which case you’ve probably goofed up during a game or competition at least once.

It’s not fun, and no one wants to be responsible for a mistake, but nonetheless, mistakes happen. On the bright side of things, it can be a very humbling experience, but it also can be disappointing and embarrassing.

In last Thursday’s edition of The Daily Eastern News, a silly, serious mistake was made. Instead of the statement “90 potential jurors were dismissed,” the statement “90 potential murders were dismissed” appeared in print.

The mistake slipped past five writers and editors, and it’s not the first time we’ve had a mistake. As the perfectionist I am, I would say we don’t have an excuse for the mistakes we have made. We are smart individuals, and we know what we are doing, so we should have caught these errors. We know something like “90 potential murders were dismissed” should not have slipped past us.

I don’t want to make any excuses, but I want to take this opportunity to give you some insight into the staff at the DEN and to explain a little about how the DEN gets produced five times a week.

The day starts for some editors with an 8:30 a.m. or a 9 a.m. meeting. Writers also start the day early, and most of the staff works all day long interviewing sources, writing stories, shooting photos, editing stories and helping others while also attending classes. At 5 p.m., some members attend another meeting to decide where to place the articles for the next day’s paper.

Night production starts at 6:30 p.m. The majority of the copy editors and designers on the night staff also are editors, meaning some days someone comes to work at 9 a.m. and does not go home until 11 p.m. Sometimes homework still needs to be done after that time.

Anyone can be a staff writer for the DEN, and staff writers can be as involved, or not involved, as they want, writing one story a day or one story a month, but the job takes a lot more desire and commitment for the 19 editors.

The students on my staff are some of the most dedicated workers. They work six days a week for little more than the experience. They produce a lot of copy, take a last minute photo or go chase down a breaking news story at any given moment. They come back early after breaks and three-day weekends. They might have to miss out on a lunch or a night out with friends.

We have never not put out a paper. Because of computer difficulties, the paper was really late two nights last semester, but staff members did not give up, staying as late as 4 a.m. once to make sure the paper was in the newsstands.

When extra inserters are needed or circulation didn’t deliver the paper, we pick up those extra duties as well.

Working at the paper is the best learning tool. We apply what we’re learning in our classes, sometimes learning something from working at the paper before we learn it in class. At the same time we’re learning and improving our skills, as editors, we’re teaching and helping others learn, too.

We also are professionals. We’re not just students playing newspaper. We don’t just interview a few friends for a story. We don’t carelessly put something in the paper. Our names are in this paper every day; we work to be proud of this product and to make it the best paper.

We’re a committed, hard working group, but when it comes down to it, we’re just humans. And humans, as much as it’s hard to admit sometimes, make mistakes.

When we do make a mistake, I promise we feel terrible about it. When a mistake gets printed, we run a correction, something every paper hates to do but has to do sometimes.

I apologize for mistakes we have made, and in return, I ask you to keep in mind the work we do and that we’re humans, humans who make mistakes, just like everyone else.