When I started in journalism, I was dedicated to my vision of being a no-nonsense, rock-and-roll reporter for Rolling Stone. But then I took a class on rocks and ironically, some “rolling stones” of sorts, and my vision completely changed.

Taking science courses made me realize that I have a surprising passion for the earth and its processes. That’s when I left my life of interviewing musicians and dove into The Daily Texan basement. There, I founded my passion for science writing.

Working for the Science and Technology department at The Daily Texan allowed me to talk to some of the most extraordinary, innovative and quirky scientific thinkers at UT. My curiosities about the earth and sciences were constantly satisfied through reporting. And through my column “Sci-Fact,” I had so much fun investigating the accuracy of everything from the multiverse theory in “Rick and Morty” to the biology of SpongeBob SquarePants.

Not only this, but moving from senior reporter, to associate editor, and finally to head editor has allowed me to meet some of the best fellow science word nerds who have become my friends. Thank you to:

Zia Lyle, for first hiring me as a senior reporter and making my stories not suck.

Kate Thackrey, for indulging in my creative headlines and making as good of puns as you do pies.

Julianne Hodges, for being a source of constant friendship and guidance, especially through my last semester as editor.

Freya Preimesberger (whose last name I still can’t spell), for calming me out of my frantic freakouts and for always being up for a conversation about ghosts and Alex Turner.

Also, I must thank the entire Science and Technology staff this year, who all inspired me to become a better writer and thinker. It was a pleasure assisting y’all in learning science communication (especially the people who aren’t journalism majors). You’re all very accomplished — especially after having to sit through meeting after meeting of me losing my train of thought, making bad jokes and as you all put it — making “meme faces.”

Lastly a special thanks to Julianne Hodges, Kate Thackrey, Zia Lyle, Cason Hunwick, Eva Frederick and Ellie Breed for meeting over the summer to make sure the department remained autonomous in the face of a possible cut. Science news is as important as ever.

And while I gave up music writing, I haven’t given up my passion for music so I want to end on a quote from the wise Ozzy Osbourne that I think sums it up:

“I love you all … I love you more than life itself, but you’re all f—— mad.”