Fall 2023 was my first semester at UT and The Daily Texan. Spring 2026 is my last. Very clearly, this newspaper has followed my entire undergraduate journey from the beginning.
Anyone who has known me over the past three years has known of the Texan, especially my friends who have begged me to finish editing quickly on nights when we had plans. Still, I wouldn’t trade the regular working nights and final approval mornings for anything in the world; double coverage and South by Southwest days, I might have a slightly different opinion. Just kidding.
I have so much to say and such a short word limit to fulfill it, much like the word limit we, as a social media department, have had to work with from day one. With each semester came the Texan application email, and not once did I stop to wonder if I should reapply. I just did. And I’m so glad I did. When I first started, I understood the basics of social media, mostly from an aesthetic lens. Today, I can confidently say that it takes an entire team (and a highly skilled one) to run one successful social media page. Much of what I go on to do in this field will be because of what I learned here.
I want to thank my family for supporting me throughout my time at UT and the Texan. I wouldn’t have made it this far without your belief in me.
And here’s to the staffers I’ve worked with over the past three years.
Newton, thank you for believing in me right from fall 2024 and for somehow keeping up with my time zone changes every few months for the entire time. You’ve been an incredible mentor, and I’m so grateful to have found such a great friend in you.
Vale, I’m genuinely so grateful for our friendship and for the opportunity to work with you these past few years. From our post-meeting walks to Medici catch-up sessions, those moments are ones I’ll hold on to forever.
To everyone else from my p-staff crew, especially Sarai, Yesenia, Clara, Avery, Angela, Jack and Sydney, I’m so thankful to have met each of you. You have helped me grow in so many ways, and I’m so excited to see you all flourish at UT and beyond.
And now, the full circle moment.
All those mornings and nights I’ve spent scrutinizing copies for AP style errors have truly paid off as I sit and scrutinize my own column for the same — something that once felt so far away when I just started as a general staffer in the social media department back in 2023. No amount of copy-approving nights (“redding” and “purpling,” only a reference my fellow p-staff will understand) or scheduling for Facebook, Twitter (yes, X) and Instagram could have prepared me for this moment: coming to terms with the fact that now, I’m going to have to approve the social media caption for my own 30 column and eventually post it myself as well.
I’ve put off writing this column for as long as I could, because writing it meant acknowledging what it represents.
Thank you, Daily Texan, for being with me right from the start. You’ve given me some of the most meaningful years of my professional life and introduced me to some lifelong friends. And long after I’ve left the Basement, I know a part of me will always be tied to it, in every caption and deadline.
I promise to never forget you, or the Texan Handbook, our own holy grail.
