If you’re reading this, I am no longer editor-in-chief of the Trinitonian, and as the lights went off in the newsroom and we all filed out for the last time, I undoubtedly felt at a loss. I know this is just a precursor to May 18, but it’s a feeling shared by my class as we watch our final days at Trinity slip away. After four years and so many hours spent laboring away on homework and extracurricular activities, we’re finally done.

The one thing I think I’ve learned in these last few weeks is that as ambitious, hard working students of Trinity we put a LOT of pressure on ourselves to know exactly where we’re headed, and whether we like to admit it, I think we’re all a little scared. Scared of failure, scared of disappointing our parents or our professors or ourselves. Scared of losing touch with our friends. Scared of not making enough money or being successful. Scared we won’t find the perfect job that will make us happy to get out of bed in the morning.

I understand now that it’s okay to be scared and that I can’t control everything. So, I’ve decided I don’t want to write about the future at all, but I’d really just like to take the time to look back and thank everyone who made my experience at Trinity so great.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this paper, read the editorial and my articles. Thank you to my incredible staff who did the grunt work, put in the hours and put up with my sometimes ridiculous demands. Thank you to Faith, Rachel, Joe, Lydia, Brian, Caroline, Carly, Emily and Brooke for sticking it out Thursday nights when everyone else was at Bay’s. Thank you Matt Kafoury for being my friend, producing great work and kidnapping me for Taco C runs.  Thank you Megan for listening to me gripe and laughing with me about stupid things when all we wanted to do was quit.

Thank you Pub Board for standing behind my team and me. Thank you Sammye Johnson, my advisor, for pushing me to do my best work and for always being honest. I respect you more than you know.

Thank you Dean Tuttle for being such a positive force in my life and the lives of my peers. Thank you for supporting the paper and working hard to include students in major decisions. You are not appreciated or praised enough for all that you do, and I will miss you.

Thank you Justin Doty, my admissions counselor, for making me feel comfortable at Trinity when I visited for the first time.

Thank you to the Hueys for hiring me my first semester at Trinity and providing a home away from home. Your kindness, support and turkey meatloaf will never be forgotten.

Thank you to all of the professors in the Communication Department (Henderson, Delwiche, Medina, Johnson, Keating and Bynum) and Siavoshi, Crockett and Hermann in Political Science for preparing me for a career in the real world. Thank you Dr. Grissom, Dr. Van Eynde, Dr. Topp, Dr. Brine, Patrick McMillan, Augie, Dr. Tynes and Dr. Nadeau for pushing me out of my comfort zone and helping me to become a more well-rounded individual by learning about areas outside of my chosen field. You were my favorite professors and made going to class an enjoyable experience.

Thank you to my Semester at Sea family (and to Nancy Ericksen in the study abroad office for making my around-the-world adventure possible). Hayden, Paige, Maria, Paul, Emily and Colin””there’s no one else I’d rather travel with and meals on deck six will always be some of my favorite memories. Thank you to Margaret Bass for teaching me to have faith in all people and things and for challenging me to become a better writer. Thank you Jenna Lawrence for making kelp forests and marine snow so damn exciting. Thank you Mizraim, Clive and Linval for making each day better and to Stuart: graduation tomorrow, graduation tomorrow, and graduation tomorrow.

Thank you Miller Boys (Richard, Matt, Joe, Henry, Alex Heim, Alex Reinis, Ryan, Travis and Peter) for being the best guy friends a girl could ever have. Thank you Henry for reading my articles every week, beginning with freshman year when I was just a news intern. Thank you Joe, Sean and Alex for picking up the phone when I had yet another question about ASR. Thank you Richard for always buying me a drink at the end of a long week.

Thank you Kelsey Sheehan for being a steadfast friend always willing to listen. Thank you Cristina Cahn-Speyer for making me laugh and reminding me not to take life too seriously. Thank you Alli Day for making my first two years at Trinity memorable and for buying me my first pair of Nike shorts so that I could begin the transition into becoming a Texan.

Thank you Joe O’Connell for being such a blessing in my life this year and going on so many adventures with me. Even though you don’t remember that time we met at a Pike party freshman year, I think we’ve made up for lost time this year.

Thank you Alpha Chi and my purple ladies. You inspire me and make me feel loved on a regular basis. Thank you to Madison Kahler for talking me into joining this club four years ago and for sticking by my side during good times and bad. Thank you to my PC for being wonderfully diverse, smart and talented women.  Thank you to Paige Lanford for being the world’s greatest little, for following me wherever I go, texting me daily affirmations, giving the best hugs and always being excited to see me. Without your love, I don’t know what I would do. Thank you to my Friendship Knot family, especially Rebecca and Aynav””you make me proud every day to call you my sisters.

Thank you to Laynie Rose and Taylor Lewis for becoming two best friends I didn’t know I needed, for exploring the Big Apple with me, skyping for hours on end and always picking up the phone in moments of career crisis “” I will return to you someday.

Thank you, Katharine Martin, for being my adviser and own personal therapist. Our conversations are sometimes the highlight of my day. Thank you for challenging me, teasing me and helping me to see the other side. You are one of the people I will miss most from Trinity.

Thank you to my TPF housemates, Katrina, Lisa and Laura, for putting up with me this year, going along with all of the shenanigans and not shunning me after finals week that one time.  Oh, and for accepting Joe as our fifth housemate. I attribute so much of the awesome-ness that was senior year to you.

Thank you to my family. To my Grammy for helping me pass calculus. To my siblings for reminding me I’m not as cool as I think I am and being my original best friends. To my extended family””you put others to shame. And to my parents who made all of this possible and who always encourage me to dream bigger and support me when I am lost. I hope to make you proud.

Finally, here’s to you, Trinity, and to all the people I might have forgotten to thank, but who really made this experience one hell of an adventure. Take care of this place and each other. Until next time”¦

Tommie Ethington is graduating with a degree in communication and a minor in political science. She is the editor-in chief of the Trinitonian and a member of Alpha Chi Lambda.