Given that this is the last newspaper edition as editor-in-chief, I want to start this column off by thanking my staff for being the most adaptable and hard working group of people I could have ever asked for. We would not have achieved what we did this past year without your consistency and diligence to The Daily Illini. They sacrificed so much of their lives to help make The Daily Illini the best it could be. 

I also want to thank my co-publishers Kit Donahue and Melissa Pasco for always keeping me in check and giving me their full support during such a crazy year. 

Thank you to the countless professors and mentors that helped me navigate through the murky waters of the pandemic. You all were a lighthouse in the middle of a vicious, unrelenting storm. 

Thank you to the families of my staff. I was very demanding of them this past year, and I’m sure there were days when they wanted to tear my head off, so I thank you for helping keep them from wigging out. 

I can’t believe it’s already been a year. I could have sworn that just yesterday I had to make the tough decision to cancel print publication for the rest of the semester, but now I’m already on my way out. 

Being the editor-in-chief of The Daily Illini has taught me more about myself than almost anything could over the course of a year. From the late nights and early mornings spent at the office, I never knew how fast the time would fly before it was time to give up control. And now that I have to, I’m almost reluctant to leave. 

Every day that I went into the office, as corny as this sounds, it truly did not feel like work. We had such a lively and dynamic staff that made the long hours together much more bearable. 

Last, but most certainly not least, I want to thank you, the reader. You are the reason why we work hard to produce the best content we can because as the University’s independent student newspaper, we serve you. Thank you for supporting us through our mistakes, successes and everything in between. 

It has been the honor of my life to be the editor-in-chief of such a storied publication, and I’m more than confident that the next staff will do even greater things. 

I hope I’ll see you all soon. 

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