I start this story how I always do: teetering on a deadline with the saddest music alive, with the occasional Broadway musical and Disney song interrupting my flow. It was how I wrote my UT application essay, how I responded to the Moody College prompts and how I submitted my first application to The Daily Texan. And now, it’s how I finish my last night of print in the Basement.

Entering my freshman year at the University, I had absolutely no idea what journalism entailed. The concept of an inverted pyramid, a lede, a nut graf, quote structures, what “tk” meant — everything — was absolutely foreign to me. The only thing I knew for certain was that for journalism to function, it needed its community at the forefront of its coverage. I can thank my hometown and my culture for teaching me that.

Community, along with transparent, accurate and truthful representation through fact and framing, is what makes or breaks the trust between the media and the people it hopes to serve. However, it’s not just publications that the community gets to define — it’s also what differentiates a good newsroom from an award-winning one.

The Texan prides itself on creating a learning environment, and it was really and truly the Texan (along with the J School) and the extremely talented and most driven people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting who satisfied my journalistic curiosity and taught me everything I know. This organization took chances and placed its faith in me and my direction more times than I can count, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience and knowledge it has given me these past few years.

Sanika, Mia, Megan, Fiza, Mantra and Kate: Thank you all for giving me my start and for showing me the endless opportunities the newsroom could give me. You all met me when I was terrified at the notion of editing columns and doing page edits by myself and still placed your bets on me despite it all. You all were wonderful peers, but even better leaders and role models. Your accidental mentorship and purposeful friendship (talking to you Mia and Fiza) has stayed with me through it all.

Now, I can’t mention mentors without thanking the person who took the time to teach me everything she knew about journalism and led me to success. My first friend here and my first ever journalistic mentor, Lucero, as promised — thank you. I know you’ll be the best teacher because I was your first ever student. The future of journalism and education is in great hands.

Ireland, Amelia, Katie, Aaron and Newt: Thank you for having so much faith in me, my skills and my leadership. You all trusted me as I went from being in “enemy territory” (Opinion and the editorial board) to spending time fortifying my news judgment and reporting skills with you all. I learned from every moment I had under your leadership, and I look back on our times together fondly. Leading a publication of this stature is hard work, and I commend each of you for doing it with patience and grace.

To the guy that holds it all together, Peter: It’s been a pleasure to work with you, truly. I’ve absorbed every critique you’ve sent, despite copy not being on it, and every piece of advice you’ve ever given me. It’s time for me to “get out of (my) comfort zone,” and thank you for helping me feel confident enough to take the steps either way. I won’t miss insistently crying in your office, but I will miss you and your bad jokes the most. The Texan is what it is because of you. I hope you know that.

Juliana, Andrea and Erika: Thank you for always trying to save me from my dungeon. Although this organization brought us together, I’m glad we truly bonded outside of it. Our inside jokes, shared interests and insightful conversations keep me sane and healed a piece of me that yearned for community in college. Y’all are my home away from home, and I can’t wait for our next hangout together. I fear you’re stuck with me forever.

Kylee, Vivien and Matthew: Words can’t describe how thankful I am for the three of you. The Texan has always created the most unexpected friendships, and I am so thankful that we all came across each other’s paths while in this organization. With a newsroom so vast, I can’t thank you all enough for giving me a space where I felt comfortable enough to be myself and be present for. You all made me, and my department, visible within this newsroom, and I will always hold our late-night drives, Up&Atom runs and dinners in my heart. Immunity necklace: I love you all.

To my wonderful associate copy desk chiefs of past and present: Neha and Sydney, thank you for trusting me to lead you. My first semester as copy desk chief was a rough one, but thank you all for making the job feel easy.

Brian, you have a good head on your shoulders, and I’m proud to have seen your growth. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the Texan and outside of it. Mia, your whimsy and personality are what shape the department’s welcoming environment, and I wouldn’t have wanted to finish off my time here without you. Please never stop being authentically yourselves, and I hope we keep in touch.

Taylor and Savannah, your logical thinking process and drive to ensure our content is factual and accurate are what make the department run. Each of you has inspired me to be better, and I know you’ll do great things with it in the future.

Thank you for indulging my ambitious goals and helping the copy department become part of the newsroom again. I’ll hold each of you in my heart forever, and my number is always there if you need it.

To my copy department: You all helped truly shape our corner of the newsroom to what it is today. To those of you who have stuck with me since I became department head, thank you for allowing me to lead you, and I hope I did well. To those of you who have just joined, I hope I’ve done well enough to convince you to stay. I’ll miss your eccentric music tastes, curating playlists and bribing you with free food. I’ve enjoyed seeing each one of your journeys, all full of growth and improvement, and just know that the copy department will always have a space for you in it.

To Sports Random, I can’t thank you all enough for reigniting my love for sports and for having people to share that with. Lauren and Meaghan, thank you for being some of the sweetest and oddest people I’ve met. You made me feel welcome because you both are always so yourselves. Zachary Charney Davis, you were like the annoying brother I never asked for. Thank you for being patient with me and my department, and I hope you all realize that I do, in fact, “know ball.”

News, I’ll miss our “war” with each other. I wouldn’t have wanted to share birthday celebrations, snacks or our fond memories with anyone else. Maryam and Pili, you both are so talented, and I can’t wait to see what you both do in the future. I know I’ll always support you, even if it’s from afar. Diego and Isaiah, thank you for your camaraderie. I always knew I could count on laughing whenever you were near. And I’m still so sorry for making “Isiago” happen. I hope to join you all in the fallen soldiers section in the hopes of being together again someday.

Either way, I’m glad I got the chance to get to know you all, and I appreciate you letting me into your departments and their respective cultures. I’ll miss being news and “sport-adjacent” more than you could all know. I’m better because I knew you.

To the people who inspired me to join in the first place: Katia and Hugo. Thank you for always having faith in me before I did. If you all hadn’t supported me by being by my side when I applied and stayed with me after every interview, I wouldn’t be here writing my last column.

Sarah, Pepe, Allene and Mariel: Thank you for being there for me. I appreciate your efforts to understand what I do, and I can’t thank you enough for reminding me that there’s a life for me outside of the Basement. Every message, FaceTime call, sleepover, coffee date, drive, hangout — it all breathes life into me when my journalistic and Austin life gets overwhelming. You all mean more to me than you can even imagine. Much love, always.

To my support system: Josie and Miriam, thank you for letting me read my columns to you, even though you weren’t familiar with the journalistic style. Every pitch idea, every ride home, every single coffee and sweet treat — I genuinely couldn’t have done it without you both. Some people don’t get to have their family with them at college, and others don’t get to have theirs directly encourage and support their growth. I was lucky enough to have that and more. I love you so so very much, and do know that I only survived because of you two (plus Kai and Lois).

Mom, everything I do is because of you and for you. You’ve always supported me despite not knowing what I do, and pushed me to do what I love regardless of it all. Thank you for always pushing me to live my life without regrets. I wouldn’t have been in any of my positions without your encouragement. I am who I am today because of you, and I love you to the moon and back. I’m glad to be your carbon copy, even if you think I’m exactly like Dad.

Dad, I hope I’m making you proud. I have your word choice lesson and love for writing with me in my heart every time I write, read and edit stories. Keep watching over me as I achieve what you weren’t able to. I love and miss you so much.

To my older brother, Ruben: Just like for mom, everything I do is for you and because of you. I’ve never told you, but you’re part of the reason I’m in this profession in the first place. Our ideals don’t always align, but thank you for always having an interest in my work and my field overall. I’m grateful for your endless support and even more endless questions about journalism. Your memes and cat pictures always brightened my day.

Twelve semesters. Four departments. Seven positions. Countless memories formed, and even more questions asked. My time in this Basement was long overdue, but I’ll always cherish every moment I had and every person I’ve met in here. You all were the best community I could have asked for.