A decade has passed since Cooglife magazine released its first edition, and it’s become a staple from the Center of Student Media.
Editors over the years have slumped over their desks, staring at InDesign as they drafted eye-catching print layouts to pair with heartfelt stories.
The essence of Cooglife builds on the passion of each editor that inherits it, creating a culture that embodies individualistic flair rather than a strict mold.
At Cooglife, University of Houston student voices are empowered. It’s the place where they evolve on paper.
To celebrate this anniversary issue, we caught up with Cooglife executive editors from the past five years to reflect on what they learned from their time at the magazine and catch up with what they’re doing now.
Autumn Rendall, 2020-21
Autumn Rendall started off during the pandemic when masks and social distancing were at an all-time high. Working on the magazine brought a sense of normalcy and routine for her when all one could see were people’s eyes above their masks.
Despite the literal distance between her and her writers, Cooglife still strived to be a space for students to discover themselves.
“I think that the most interesting stories, reviews or whatever come from things that we’re passionate about, something that people could just talk ad nauseam about, “ Rendall said. “There is so much you can do while working on a community-building project like Cooglife. It’s really the place to hone in on your skills.”
Cooglife is where Rendall found her passion for editorial planning, picking and choosing what stories get to be laid out on the pages for the UH community to see. It led to her career pivot from journalism to corporate communications.
After two years at her corporate communications job, she’ll soon be making the big move to Paris, a feat she feels was made possible because of Cooglife.
“I’m able to not only do a job that I’m passionate about, but move to the dream city I’ve always wanted to move to ever since I was a kid,” Rendall said. “Cooglife had a direct impact on me being able to make that happen.”
McKenzie Misiaszek, 2021-22
One of Cooglife’s more scandalous editions featured rose toys, handcuffs and vibrators all laid out on the cover. Copies of the print still get talked about years later.
This iconic edition was made by McKenzie Misiaszek, who led Cooglife from 2021 to 2022.
“Cooglife is supposed to be fun. Most people will never get the chance to write what they want and have it published and share it with the world in a beautiful laid out medium,” Misiaszek said. “I think that’s something people don’t realize while they’re in college. It’s really an opportunity to explore your writing and yourself.”
But just like writing fun things is important, knowing what goes on the page matters even more. Misiaszek understands the importance of editorial liberty while also shouldering the responsibility of readers placing immense trust in the words written on published paper.
“People forget how powerful writing is and how people will kind of just believe whatever they see on a page, especially if it’s published,” Misiaszek said. “They will assume that you might have taken fact-checking liberties and that whatever you’re citing is reliable. That’s a big responsibility to be able to shape somebody’s perception or thoughts about something, especially in the time that we’re in.”
Cooglife makes you pay attention to details like these. It makes sense Misiaszek landed a role as a senior writer for an elected official.
Sydney Rose, 2023-24
Sydney Rose was entangled with Cooglife her entire undergraduate career before having her full circle moment of becoming its executive editor.
Working at Cooglife led her to teach English abroad in Spain, something she feels tied closely with her time at the student magazine.
“That experience of being in charge of a whole team of writers, photographers and graphic designers carried over to trying to teach a foreign language to 10-year-olds,” Rose said. “Managing a classroom is very similar to managing a college magazine office, and I was able to kind of take the patience that I had and knowing about different people’s learning styles to become a teacher.”
When it comes to her writing, one of her favorite articles involved researching the concept of virginity and its application in queer spaces, particularly in relation to health and societal perceptions. There’s a freedom that comes with writing for Cooglife, and this piece embodied that.
“I feel like that article was a really good highlight, because as I was building it, as I was shaping it, I was learning not just about my own stance, but other people’s stances,” Rose said. “It just became one of my favorite pieces.”
After returning from her teaching job in Spain, Rose will be heading to Germany to become an au pair, holding that streak of working with children.
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