Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the August 9, 2022 flip book. 

After one semester as a newsletter writer and *many* semesters as a reporter and in various editing roles, this is my final byline for The Daily Texan.

I have definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to make this perfect — which, if I think about it, pretty much reflects the amount of pressure I’ve put on myself since I first walked down the dreary-looking stairs to the basement in 2019. But that pressure has pushed me in the best way — the Texan has given me a level of self-confidence that I never had before and made me a stronger writer and person. It has also given me a place to be challenged and validated and work with so many extraordinary journalists who will go on to do amazing things.

It sounds almost exactly like what I heard people tell us at my first Texan orientation, but I really found my people here. I have so much gratitude for the doors the Texan has opened to me and the people I have met that I know I will remain friends with forever. If you worked with me in the basement and asked, “How are you?” I probably answered, “stressed,” with a really large caffeinated drink in front of me, and while that’s true, I also had some of my most memorable college experiences here and would absolutely not change a thing. The Texan is the only student organization at UT I’ve joined had time for, and with all of those hours spent in the basement or on the couch typing on my laptop all night, I truly don’t know how I’m going to feel when the Texan is not part of my daily life. But it will always be part of my life.

I’ve been here so long there are so many people I want to thank a million times, so I’m going to try my best. Peter Northfelt, thank you for giving me the opportunity to join this crazy place and giving me lots of guidance when I really needed it. Megan Menchaca, I admire you more than probably anyone, and I’m so grateful to have joined the news department under your leadership. Chase, Savana and Lisa, thank you for being kind and mentoring me — you helped me more than you know. 

Emily, Neelam, Lauren and Hannah, I am so grateful to have worked with you, grown closer to you and watched the incredible things you continue to do. Brooke and Skye, you were the most helpful, reliable and uplifting co-editors, and I hope we continue our socials with the news besties. Sam, Kevin, Tori, Sheryl, Leila, Joelle, Katy, Leena, Morgan, Claire: It has made me so happy to watch you produce such strong reporting and grow as journalists over the past few semesters, and I will always be y’all’s biggest supporters. Hope, thank you for basically living in the basement with me.

Megan Tran, Mia and Rachael, thank you for making the summer so much fun and helping me with literally everything. I’ll miss our power team so much. To the rest of the summer leadership team: Hairuo, Sascha, Emma, Lana, Reya, Matthew, Kara, Carly, Marissa, Sarah, Sylvia and Trinity, I have loved working with you and learning from you this summer. I’ve asked a lot of you this semester and you have done amazing work, so thank you. And, of course, Peter Chen, who is always there and always helpful. Everyone here just continues to amaze me — thank you for everything you do.