Many students hope to fall in love during college, and luckily, I did. After several Zilker strolls, numerous concert dates and a few intimate film screenings, I found myself deeply infatuated. However, I fell in love not with a person, but a place — the city of Austin. And, I have no one other than the Texan to thank for it.
I transferred to the University having never been in Austin for longer than 24 hours. UT was twice the size of my previous institution, and I felt lost in a sea of people. Looking for a home, or at least a change of pace from my lab reports and chemical mechanism worksheets, I applied to The Daily Texan.
After several pitch cycles I had written about Austinites, students and artists alike, and the colors of Austin appeared before me. From covering festivals such as SXSW, ACL and AFF or talking to football fans on Bevo Blvd, going out on assignment helped me experience Austin in a way I would not have on my own.
But that is secondary to the community I found at the Texan. The Basement, and more importantly the people in it, have served as my safe haven. Thank you to everyone who has poured into me and supported me throughout my time here.
To my former Larts editors, thank you for providing me with a great foundation. Angela, you made the Texan a place I wanted to stay. Your support, even from afar, guided me as I moved up in Larts. Mimi, I always admired your commitment to Larts and your staffers. You taught me how to lead the department just by being yourself.
Peter, thank you for holding the Texan content to a high standard. Though it was infuriating, you provided a reliable yardstick for me to measure my improvement. Despite it being far and few between, your praise pushed me to keep going.
Kevin and Manoo, thank you for always being down to cover a concert. I am always amazed by how electric your photos look after a show. Spotlighting artists in the live music capital of the world has been a dream.
To all of the Larts reporters, it has been a joy watching you grow. I appreciate your dedication, hard work and creativity throughout this semester. A special thanks to senior reporters Analise, Riddhi and Katherine for always jumping on story opportunities. I look forward to seeing what you all do next.
To my dream team of editors Trinity, Flora and Minza, this department would not have functioned without you. Trinity, thank you for being a wonderful editing partner. You are so kind and patient. You bring joy to every pitch meeting and editing session.
Flora, thank you for always being your cheerful and encouraging self. You are so insanely talented, and I look up to you as a writer. Writing liveshots with you has truly been the highlight of both my time at the Texan but also my undergrad experience.
Minza, thank you for having my back and being the best associate I could ask for. You are considerate, intelligent and incredibly capable. I consider us to have been co-editors with the amount of energy you have given me and this department. From general to senior reporters, desk to Larts editors, I am so thankful that we have walked this journey together.
Finally, thank you to The Daily Texan for introducing me to Austin, my home away from home.
