Well, this is it kids. Here I am, sitting in the Daily office, writing my last column ever as PLAY editor. Never again shall I eat oh-so- yummy Norris food at my desk or run downstairs for a caffeine fix in the form of a grande mocha. Tonight is the last night I’ll witness the antics of the guys at the Sports desk and the general on-goings of the newsroom. Finally, after devoting ten quarters (my quarter in California for Teaching Media counts-I had a story published) writing and editing, I am officially retiring.

I won’t lie; it’s a little bittersweet when I think about it. You can’t devote the majority of your college career to something and not be a little sad when it’s over.

Having worked as both a writer and an editor, I can easily say that PLAY has been the cause of much stress for me. And at the same time, I don’t regret a moment I’ve spent up here on the third floor of Norris.

As I mentioned in my first column of the quarter, I somehow managed to work my way up the ladder. If you had told me that I would be writing the editor’s column my freshman year, I wouldn’t have believed you. I can still remember the first PLAY meeting I ever attended, being the stereotypically frightened, overwhelmed freshman who just wanted to start writing and hesitantly signed up for the listserv.

To be honest, working for PLAY probably helped me decide that journalism is something I actually want to do for the rest of my life. I’ve definitely had some bumps along the way and have questioned my major countless times, wondering if I’m not better suited for something else.

So many of my fellow Medillians, now that senior year is in full swing, have already begun looking into graduate school or are taking the LSATs in hope of doing something entirely different. Some of them decided long ago that writing or editing wasn’t for them, while others recently came to the conclusion that the life of a journalism was a poor choice from the get go.

But I’m glad I joined PLAY my first quarter at NU. It’s somehow managed to become and stay one the few things I do consistently.

I guess I’m trying to write this without getting too sappy. But while I’m at it, I might well squeeze in a thanks to my editors, columnists, panelists and consistent writers for all their hard work. I’m being sincere when I say that you guys have been great.

So, this is the last time I’ll ever find myself in the newsroom. Now that I’m done, I won’t have a legitimate reason to come up here. Unless I’m bored or have no life, both of which I will try to avoid. But I’ll still be stopping by Starbucks to get my coffee. Who knows, I might even have another meal at Norris just for the kicks. But for those of you who have bothered to read my column this quarter, you probably won’t be seeing much of me until I walk the stage in June. Until then, I’ll be making the most of it.

Medill senior Dani Garcia is the PLAY editor. She can be reached at [email protected].