Our team of writers work relentlessly behind the scenes to keep the Nexus site constantly updated, but who are these mysterious Camosun College students who keep us supplied with stories? Wonder no more, as our new series Meet Your Writers will help you get to know the names behind the pieces you read at Nexus.
When did you start writing for Nexus?
Hi, my name is Nicolas Ihmels and I have been with Nexus for almost a year now.
What has your best experience been writing for Nexus?
My best experience as a Nexus writer was my Around the World in a Dugout Canoe review. This is because after I wrote the review, I got an invitation from their publisher to go downtown and see the two writers that wrote this awesome novel about BC history speak, and even saw some amazing exhibits at the Maritime Museum. It was so cool, and when COVID is over, I would like to do more of that type of reporting.
What about the worst? Be honest!
I would say I have had a great time with the work given to me. I have made mistakes on my stories and that always sucks, but the harsh truth is, both as a young writer and college student, that is kind of what I am here for—to make mistakes. Because when it all comes down to it, I am here to learn, and nobody learns anything without making mistakes. The main thing is that we all learn from our mistakes and apply them in our future work.
How have you been managing with the COVID-19 lockdown and other measures?
I’ve just been taking it one day at a time. I’ve also just been covering myself in work, both college- and Nexus-related. In fact, I would suggest everyone check out the Nexus piece that I wrote and was published during the summer called “How I learned to stop worrying and find hope during the COVID-19 pandemic.” It really details my thoughts on the subject.
What is the most pressing issue facing Camosun students today and based on what you know being a Nexus writer, what needs to be done about it?
That’s a tricky one. I’ll put it this way: when it comes to doing research for the next big term paper, the internet is, most of the time, a great learning environment. But when it comes to things like online schooling and meeting with your classmates, more often than not it is the polar opposite. This is because your experience with it mainly hinges on one thing: trust! Every day every student now has to count on their own computer to not only handle their work but to also hold a stable wi-fi connection for more than two hours so that they can have a class or go over homework with fellow students. To me, I think that’s a big ask on the computer’s part.
How can people find you on social media?
You can find all of my stories at nexusnewspaper.com; just search “Nicolas Ihmels” and it will give you everything I’ve ever written with Nexus. I also have a Wix blog you can visit anytime, at nicihmels.wixsite.com/writerslog. You can also find me on Facebook. If any readers have any questions, they can just contact me on one of those sites.