I don’t know how to start this goodbye. Everything that comes to mind sounds cheesy and lame and kind of pathetic.

I could begin with some pseudo-inspirational quote like the one from “The Notebook:” “The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected.”

Or I could say something equally ridiculous and dramatic like, “I will die without The Daily Campus staff in my life!”

But these types of cheesy lines can’t possibly express the way I feel about my time at The Daily Campus.

I joined the paper back in January as the associate news editor with literally no clue what I was doing. I had no idea what a pica of space was on InDesign. I didn’t know I was capable of turning around an event story in 30 minutes or less to fill blank space in the paper, and I only knew one person on staff. I definitely didn’t know that it was going to change my life.

It was one of the best decisions of my college career. I have made some of my favorite college memories in The Daily Campus newsroom.

I remember spending all of Icepocalypse last semester held up at Café Brazil with my news editor, now managing editor, Sarah Kramer, trying to think up story ideas because The Daily Campus goes out no matter what.

And I will never be able to get the constant Adele remix soundtrack in the newsroom out of my head thanks to News Editor Meredith Carlton.

More laughter has filled our office this semester than ever before and I have an incredible staff of positive people to thank for that.

Sarah, you have been one of the biggest reasons I have survived the past year. I could never have done it without you and I wouldn’t have wanted to. From singing Celine Dion at the top of our lungs in your car to chasing down the story at Burger Street, I know we have made a lasting friendship.

I wish I could address each person individually who has made my time here so special, but unfortunately there is just not enough space on the opinion page for that.

To the rest of my Daily Campus family, you are all incredible. It is the staff you work with that makes or breaks the experience and I have to tell you that you made mine.

The family we have at The Daily Campus is one forced together by late work nights and deadlines, but I think we all chose to hang out more often than we were forced to.

From quote wall inappropriateness to the late night Bubba’s runs to the Mustang Secret Fashion Show, I have shared some of the best moments of my life with you all in the newsroom. I only hope I have given as much as I have gained from all of you.

I read somewhere that the most graceful way to exit a job is to just say, “Goodbye, good luck and I’m happy to have worked with you.” But I just don’t think that covers it in my case.

So here is what I’ll say, “Goodbye for now, good luck next semester and remember I’m only ever a text/call/tweet/Facebook away.”

Ashley Withers is a senior majoring in journalism and serves as editor-in-chief of The Daily Campus. She can be reached for comment at [email protected]