The first time I walked into the Texan office, I broke a glass kombucha bottle in front of Sarah-Grace Sweeney. I took that as a bad omen. After giving up on my tryout, I was surprised to wake up one morning to a voicemail in Shelby’s crazy-cryptic voice. I replayed that message 50 times. I made it. I was on The Daily Texan. 

Two weeks later, I sat outside the basement with Pu and Chelsea, who were convincing me not to quit. Four semesters in and here I am. These two ladies who once terrified me have now become my biggest mentors and a couple of my closest friends. 

The Texan is more than a windowless crypt that destroys your concept of sleep, schoolwork and relationships. It is where I met some of my best friends, decided to dump my high school sweetheart and changed my major — twice. 

It is Crystal and I dancing to Tegan and Sara after our first orientation. It is Friendsgiving. It was the last thing I talked to my grandfather about before he passed away. It was spending Valentine’s Day with Shweta instead of with our boyfriends. It was the mess of X Games with my partner-in-crime Jenna and sleeping in the office with the beetles. I showered down here. It is my best friends, “The Laurens.” The Texan was a summer of love, but it was also Amy knowing exactly when to pack the wine and cookies. It is keeping The Shine legacy alive. 

I am so lucky to have met each and every one of you. I love and trust you will all be my friends long after I leave this place. The stories will live on — the ones that always start, “This one time when I was shooting for the Texan …” 

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