I remember feeling slightly intimidated at my first meeting with the staff at The Index. Here were all these lovely people who knew so much about journalism and what it takes to run a paper, and there was little old me, an English major who was passionate about sex education and wanted to write about it. My own writing topic was probably scary to some people. Yet, I made it through the meeting, met with my editor Erica and from there created my column.
While I have only been a part of the writing staff for this past year, I have learned so much. Erica, thank you so much for your constant support, quick replies and feedback. Ryan, thank you for being a great neighbor and for encouraging me to join The Index. Thank you to the editors who caught all of my grammar mistakes, and believe me, there were plenty, and checked over my work to make sure it was inclusive and well written. Thank you to my roommates, with whom I spent many nights discussing ideas or reading my drafts out loud. Thank you to everyone who read my column and gave me feedback or suggestions. I appreciate all the love and support from everyone. While goodbyes can be sorrowful, I will leave you off with a quote from one of my favorite authors: “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello,” Paulo Coelho.