My seven semesters at the Texan are a blur. I would be lying if I told you I remember every story I wrote or every article I edited. 

That being said, there were some standout moments I will never forget. 

I’ll never forget what it felt like to report my first story and see my byline in the paper the next day. 

I’ll never forget the parties and pitch meetings. On second thought, I suppose there are a few holes in those memories, @ClaireAllbright. 

And I’ll never forget the people who made my time at the Texan special. 

Hannah, aka my better half, you’ve kept me laughing these past three years and I’m glad we made the decision to come back for our last semester. I’m going to miss making fun of how ridiculously smart you are and bragging to people about your GPA and MCAT scores.

Claire, we may have no idea what our futures hold, but I am proud of what you’ve done as news editor. Our time in college began together, and it’s only fitting that we end it together. I will always be your biggest cheerleader.

A few other badass women and gays need to be mentioned. Lisa, Maria, Ellie, Catherine, Kayla, Forrest and Chase, y’all have kept this place running these past few years and your leadership will impact the paper for years to come. I love you all. For those of you graduating, you are leaving the paper better than when you found it. 

Now let’s get serious for a second. 

Across the country, news outlets are going out of business, people are being laid off and hostility toward journalists has been exacerbated by certain political figures who want to keep the public in the dark. 

This epidemic is not isolated to professional newsrooms, but has impacted college newspapers as well.

Let’s take a look back at what the “enemy of the people” here at the Texan have accomplished this semester. We’ve reported on discrimination that led to the resignation of the Center for Women in Law director, covered tragedies that changed how our campus approaches student safety and received national attention because of our story about Map Pesquiera, a transgender student who lost his scholarship because of the military ban. 

If you had your doubts, let these stories serve as incontestable evidence that STUDENT JOURNALISM MATTERS. 

Working at the Texan is not easy. It’s often thankless. So, I want to use my final words in my last story for this paper to say thank you. 

Thank you to the Texan staffers of past, present and future, for choosing to take on a role so crucial to the life of our University. And to any who are pursuing journalism after college, thank you. In a world where truth has become a precious commodity, we need people like you speaking truth to power.