The KRNL blog covers a range of topics, from the latest fashion trends to reading recommendations to gardening tips. Whatever it is that you may be passionate about, there's sure to be a KRNL article for you, and that's because we encourage our blog writers to write about things that they enjoy so that the posts we publish are high-quality and entertaining to read. Our online content editor is responsible for making sure that the blogs we put out meet our expectations and are representative of the KRNL brand by editing and reviewing all of that content. Additionally, the copy editor is responsible for looking over all the written content in the magazine before it gets printed and published for everyone to read, which is no easy task! This year, Rana Alsoufi will be taking over both of those roles for KRNL, so get to know her through this week's edition of "Behind KRNL!"
Introduce yourself!
Hey! My name is Rana Alsoufi, I'm from Louisville, and I'm going to be the next copy editor and online content editor for KRNL! I'm a rising sophomore at UK majoring in journalism and minoring in psychology.
How did you first get involved with KRNL?
I heard about KRNL from my JOU101 professor (shout-out to Jen Smith!) after I told her about my interest in fashion journalism and how I wanted to be a part of it in the future. She told me that we actually had a fashion and lifestyle publication right here on campus, which was perfect for my situation. I reached out about getting involved with KRNL pretty much immediately and got started as a blog writer. During my second semester as a freshman, I applied for the lifestyle team and got in, and ever since then I've only grown more in love with this organization and can't wait to do more!
What's your favorite part about getting involved with KRNL?
It's always so exciting getting to be a part of something you're so passionate about, and for me, that's telling the stories of our community. I've only been writing professionally as a journalism student for a year now, but it's already been so rewarding and exciting getting to go out and explore the city and sharing everything it has to offer with the people around you. KRNL has really given me that opportunity to do exactly that.
Do you have a favorite memory during your time with KRNL that stands out to you?
I've only been involved with KRNL for a year so I don't have that many memories (especially since I got started during a pandemic... boo...), but I did really enjoy writing my story about the local drag scene in Lexington. I got to go out and interview a bunch of drag queens, and getting to hear their stories and learning more about what they do was super and fun and educational as well. I also got to watch a couple of shows, and the pictures turned out incredible. Definitely a highlight for sure.
What other interests/hobbies do you have outside of KRNL?
I looooove fashion. Retail therapy is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine, but I love expressing myself through what I wear. My family and I have traveled a lot during my lifetime (I've lived in places from Saudia Arabia to Toronto to Atlanta) and it's definitely something I love to do as well (but again, COVID kind of ruined that for me).
What is your favorite place you've ever traveled to?
That's definitely a tough question, but I think the answer has to be Santorini, Greece. The view, the food, the culture... it's all just so beautiful. I'm also a sucker for big cities, so a close second would probably have to be Los Angeles.
Who are some of your fashion/lifestyle inspirations? In other words, who do you look up to?
I honestly get a lot of my fashion inspiration from all over the place; sometimes I'll see someone walking down the street and think to myself, Wow, they look incredible, or, I love that dress! I never thought about styling it that way. I'll also browse through social media and take note of what kind of trends are emerging and take inspiration from that. I don't think I have a specific style; it's just a combination of different things that I think are a good representation of who I am. Bella and Gigi Hadid are a couple of my biggest fashion idols, though. As for inspiration for my writing, I read a lot - and I mean a lot - of articles on the news so that I can get better at journalistic writing, especially for fashion and lifestyle-related content. Sometimes I'll read a Vogue article and take note of how the author formats their ideas and pay attention to the little details to get a better understanding of what good writing looks like, and then I'll apply that to my own work. Also, reading past issues of KRNL has really helped me get a feel for what writing for them entails!
What are you looking forward to this year regarding KRNL as our copy and online content editor?
It's honestly so crazy that I got started as a simple blog writer my freshman year and am already a top editor my sophomore year, and as overwhelming as it kind of is, I'm super excited to take this leadership role and to start doing more for KRNL. As online content editor, I am very excited to work more with the blog writers and to help produce the amazing blog content that they write every year, and as copy editor, I'm looking forward to refining my writing and editing my skills because I know they're gonna help me in the long run. It's gonna be tough work, but so rewarding!
Plug your socials!
My Instagram is private, but if someday I decide to go public, you can follow me @rana.alsoufi!