I wanted to go out big. I wished I had done something like writing a poem (but Jessie Cibik already did it), or a breakup letter (Ross Green already did it) or a one-line note about missing a deadline (Caroline Wallace just did it) or pardoned billionaire financier Marc Rich from federal charges (Bill Clinton did that long ago). I suppose I will just go with this:

In my five semesters working as an editor, I have seen Hilltop Views go online, break news, succeed, and grow. We’ve been slammed and we’ve been praised and we’ve been taken for granted and we’ve made impacts on the university, both big and small.

And, most importantly, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the most interesting, brilliant, talented, hilarious and fun group of people I have ever known. Their names are in the staff box to the right and in the staff boxes of years past.

Most of all, I owe an incredible debt of gratitude to our faculty advisor, Jena Heath, who believed in me enough to push me to write for Hilltop Views and to find amazing opportunities for me. Three years ago, she said she would convince me to become a journalist before I graduated. I didn’t believe her at the time, but she was right. I owe my career to her.

Sure, there are a few regrets, but, then again, too few to mention. I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished since I have been here. Maybe this finale is far from grand, but, like Frank Sinatra before me, I did it my way.