At orientation, our newspaper advisor Peter tells us we’ll leave the Texan with lifelong friends. 

He’s right. It’s the people who kept me at the Texan so long. Being editor-in-chief this year was challenging yet rewarding, but it’s the small moments that made it worth it: late-night ping pong, financially disastrous dinner runs, hilarious slacks with terrible timing and me uncontrollably laughing on the floor. 

I don’t think words could describe how much sharing these moments with everyone means to me, but I’m gonna try. 

McKenzie, I loved staying with you until midnight then going to In-N-Out and talking even longer. I’m going to miss spending every Monday and Thursday with you. I’m so excited to see you lead the paper now.

Sonali, I loved seeing you grow. I’m still sad that you left last semester, but I know you’re doing great things, and I’m so proud of you. 

Tanya, thank you for all the unhinged edits. Please remember you’re destined for greatness. Justin, I hope you know that your legacy is gonna be great, no matter what you end up doing. Mihir, I’m grateful you let us see your true Chipotle-loving self. I wish you the best at the PCL. 

To all my columnists, I’m amazed by your work. Ava, you wrote with such power and passion. You’re going to go far in life. Juan, you’re such a character —  in a good way.

To my illustrators, your work is captivating. Schuyler, thank you for cooking up the best covers and for answering my late-night calls. Avery, I’d only print columns because your illo was beautiful, not because of the column itself. 

Alyssa, becoming FIG/Texan/956 besties holds a special place in my heart. Faith, the Texan isn’t the same without you, but I love our debriefs on all things life. Mia, we saw Taylor Swift together — how much more do I need to say? 

Sanika, thank you for hiring me. You saw something in me when I didn’t see it in myself. Megan, thank you for pushing me to apply for editor-in-chief. This position really has changed my life.

Carla, thank you for always designing the best opinion pages. My time here is made up of parts of our memories together.

Trinity, one day you made the opinion office your home, then we talked about everything there. The Texan is lucky to have you, and I’m grateful to know you. Chloe, the same goes for you. I hate that it took so long for us to become friends, but I’m so grateful it finally happened. Y’all made my last year at the Texan so memorable. 

Sascha, you always brighten up my mood. I’m glad we defended Taylor Swift at Maestro together. Areebah, Lorianne, Manoo and Naina, I loved walking into the basement at a random time and seeing y’all there with so much joy. 

Kamryn, I had fun answering emails with you. Morgan, I loved being your partner in the fall. Breigh, thank you for your hand hugs and making sure I had a meal on print nights. 

Will, I’m so excited to see the impact you’ll make in TSM.

Yasmin, I’m so grateful TSM brought us together. I love you tons.

Peter, thank you for letting me sit on your couch and vent. You’re the greatest mentor I could ask for. TSM is so lucky to have you. I’m going to miss you the most.

To all my friends and family who supported me on this journey, thank you so much. I’m sorry all I talked about was the Texan. 

Mi favorita parte de mi tiempo fue ser la primera directora de Texan en Español. Gracias a todos los traductores por continuar con este importante trabajo para la comunidad hispanohablante. Por favor, nunca paren. Maria, gracias por crecer TEE en maneras que nunca pensé fueran posibles. 

Mamá y papá, gracias por apoyar mis sueños. Aunque no tenían idea de lo que implicaba mi trabajo, ustedes siempre están orgullosos de mí. Los quiero mucho. 

Most importantly, I’d like to thank God for giving me this opportunity and walking with me through every struggle and accomplishment. I’d be nowhere without Him. 

I don’t know what my time at UT will look like after walking up these creepy basement stairs one last time. But I trust that this journey gave me the skills I need for the future and friendships I’ll cherish for a lifetime. 

Ponce is a journalism junior from Laredo, Texas. She was the editor-in-chief.