Look, I could write as cliché of a farewell column as anyone could want, but I won’t. I don’t need to. I don’t want to. I’m not going on winter break like most of the students. I don’t have winter break anymore, I have life.

It’s weird when you think about next month and you have no clue where you’re going to be or what you’re going to do. Because when you graduate high school, your next thought is, ‘Oh I’m going to college in three months.’

Did I learn a lot here? Yes.

How much of it am I going to use in the real world? Surprisingly more than I thought, especially as a journalism major, where you get thrust into real life as part of class assignments and you essentially have someone there to scare the hell out of you enough to get an internship.

I never thought I’d get this far, and I’m not even started.

One thing’s for sure. I wouldn’t be here without my support network. Mom, Dad, Grandma, Aunt Sue, Paul, Miller, James, Meg, Roger, Scott, Sid, Fluffy (rest in peace), Lanie, Nicole, Jess.

Take the time to thank the important people in your life, because if you watch the news anymore these days, those people might not be here tomorrow.