I love this place with all of my heart, but don’t be like me. Don’t spend eight semesters here. Take a break. Go out. Have fun. Fall in love. Get your heart broken. Soak it up while you can. You’ll be done and out before you know it.

Lucy: You’ll forever be my design mum and favorite headed. Your freshman designers have decided to stan forever. You are so loving and supportive that I wanted to stay in design another semester even after realizing it wasn’t for me. (Sorry I never learned tabs.) Thanks for taking a chance on me. 

The Alexas: You two made The D.O. a home for me and everyone. You were such a powerful, iconic MGMT team. I’ll always cherish D.O. outings to Tullys and Destiny with y’all.

Stacy: When I joined The D.O., I was shy and quiet. But you have hella Broward energy and made me feel right at home. You made Pulp the funnest section, with your infectious laugh, loud outfits and pink Crocs (which you once ate a Jimmy John’s sandwich out of). I’m so grateful that you joined the board. Have fun in Brazil. 

Sara: News was my favorite section to design in because of you. You were the wholesome D.O. grandma we all needed. I want to meet your adorable cat someday.

Katie McInerney and Mark Cooper: I doubt there has been an alumni duo more dedicated to seeing The D.O. succeed in the paper’s 117-year history. I wouldn’t have gotten through the past year without your support. 

Jessi Soporito: You’re one of those people that I can never forget, no matter how many years since we’ve spoken. I’m so glad I got to work with you for a semester. I hope you’re thriving in California. 

Kelsey: I’ll always remember that party where you told me you despised Florida. I forgive you. You wrote your heart out in every story.

Katie Czerwinski: You make motion design look way too easy. Seeing you get clout on social media makes my heart swell. You’re an angel, and you deserve the world. 

Sarah Allam: Illo queen. I cried when you told me you were leaving The D.O. You were with us so long that I felt like you were an essential part of this place, and I didn’t know how to define The D.O. without your beautiful illustrations blessing our pages.

Bridget: You always made visuals such a welcoming, cozy and warm space. I miss walking by seeing you at the PD computer with a blanket wrapped around your shoulder, assembling a PB&J. You’re a great designer and an even better person.

Louis: Listening to you talk about a story you’re working on is so wholesome because your passion for storytelling is always evident. Spread that passion with your staff — it’s the most empowering thing you can do.

Corey and Billman: You two pour your hearts into everything you do, even last-minute photoshoots for a News A5. Visuals felt cozier than an Animal Crossing village because of y’all. 

Marnie: You are such a passionate, talented reporter. I’m so glad you returned to The D.O. to host the podcast. 

Crane: You instantly impressed everyone by wearing business attire to production, so it wasn’t surprising to learn you’re a star reporter and a meticulous editor. Someone once told me that, as sports editor, you had a list of people to check in with every morning. I was shocked, then I remembered, “Oh, it’s Crane.”

Skyler: I don’t know where you get the energy, but your bubbly and cheerful personality always makes me smile even if all we said to each other was “Hello.” You’re going to kill it as sports editor. 

Roshan: Thanks for putting up with my weirdness (and laughing with me). Stop doubting yourself. Bonne nuit.

Richard J Chang: You’re going to be a great news editor. Don’t forget to breathe and get some sleep.

Chis: I’m so proud of you. I remember your first A read in food.com, when you took my computer to change back edits I had just made on your A5. I knew then that you would be news editor some day. You’ve always been up for a challenge, and you successfully navigated the news section through a pandemic. I’m sorry for being a cranky curmudgeon at times, but I just want you to know that I’ve always respected you. 

Maggie, Sarah, Mira: Your friendship is so wholesome. Whenever I was having a rough night, walking into News during your shenanigans instantly cheered me up. I often wish I could’ve been an assistant with y’all because you are always having fun. It’s been so rewarding to see y’all grow from lil staff writers to news assistants tackling breaking news coverages like it’s nothing. 

Shannon and the pandemmy designers: Designing at The D.O. is hard enough already with the billion rules and late nights. I have infinite respect for y’all for designing during the pandemic, sometimes remotely, and always, always putting the work in to make this paper look gorgeous. 

Sydney: I knew you were destined for D.O. greatness when you asked to meet with me in food.com before you were even an SU student. And you’ve lived up to that expectation, from city beat writer to culture editor. I’m sorry for threatening to cut you from my duck. I could never. I’ll miss our fake fights.

Jordan: I was surprised when you asked me to apply for asst. news editor because I always sell myself short. Fall 2018 was a rough semester for everyone, but I learned so much from you about writing and editing. Thanks for believing in me. 

Sam: The king of public records scoops. When I did my first ever A read with you in food.com, I instantly knew you were a great reporter and mentor. You gave so much to The D.O. (even a tattoo), and this scrappy newspaper is so much better off thanks to you. 

Kennedy: Sweet bean. I miss you. Working in house with you was so much fun, especially when you’d yell at us assistants for being dumb. Thank you for explaining stonks to me last summer. Let’s meet up in Philly sometime. 

India: We are complete opposites (mainly just that I’m always yelling and you’re quiet), but we clicked so easily as asst. news editors. Our frigid drives to South Campus in your barely functioning car were so wholesome and restorative. 

Gabe: I will always have so much respect for you. You poured every ounce of your being into covering the Barnes Center protest, and we could not have done it without you. Never lose that passion. It’s one of the best things about you. 

Mandy: It’s impossible not to love you, and 230 Euclid is a brighter space with you in it. You’re a star reporter, and you have a sharp eye for editing. Most importantly, you’re incredibly kind and patient even on the worst nights. Those qualities will make you a great ME.

Emily: I have never seen a more talented and devoted D.O. staffer in all of my eight semesters. From your first semester in house, people started joking that you would be our boss one day — and now you’re going to be EIC! You are the best person for this job, and knowing that The D.O. is in capable hands makes leaving so much easier. Don’t forget to have fun. 

Cori: Bori Bill. Every time you walk into mgmt to ask a serious work question, we end up laughing hysterically about something dumb. You made Op a fun and welcoming section again. It may only be a section of three, but you made it feel much larger than that. I’ll miss you yelling at KJ. 

Nabeeha: I would always get so excited when I heard you were designing in News because I knew it would be a fun night. You somehow survived sitting next to me all those hours, which is quite an accomplishment. You took on PD as a first semester sophomore, and I couldn’t be more proud of you. Thanks for always helping me laugh through deadline stress and budget crises.

Ghael: You have no idea how much your random phone calls have saved me this year. You literally called me as I wrote this, and I cried thinking about how much I appreciate you. You are insanely talented and never cease to amaze me. The D.O. has a whole podcast section now because a passionate BDJ freshman asked to meet with the news editor to talk about making a podcast. 

Kevin: When I think of you, I think of sunshine. You were one of the first friends I made at Syracuse and will always have a special place in my heart. You bring endless joy to everyone around you so effortlessly. You are genuinely the most impressive person I know. 

Colleen: Me mum. Whether it was pregaming at 500 Clarendon or working on a VIS207 project in the Newhouse computer labs at 1 a.m., I feel cozy thinking about all the memories we made. You have so much love to give to this world, and I feel so lucky to have been a recipient of a small part of that. I swore I’d never visit Texas, but I’ll make an exception for you.

Nat: I remember first meeting you at a D.O. open house and thinking, “Wow, they’re pretty f*cking cool.” (I was right.) You’re the most hardworking person I know, and you devote just as much energy to showing your friends that you love them endlessly. Seeing how comfortable you were with your identity helped me figure out my own. Enbys are taking over.

Sessa: My biggest regret of my time at The D.O. is not becoming friends with you sooner. I wish I had 1,000 more hours to listen to your sassy rants and wild stories (e.g. CuddleUppets), even if I’ve heard them six times before. We went four semesters barely talking to each other, and now I’m tearing up thinking about how Tuesday was the last time I’ll see you walk into mgmt with Lolo to chat about your budget. Thanks for putting up with all my late night texts. Don’t expect me to stop attacking you with compliments anytime soon. I’ll miss you like hell. Take care of Eeyore. Stay rad. ?

KJ: The disrespect was so potent I decided to disintegrate on a molecular level. It’s hard to think of The D.O. without you in it. How will D.O. production continue without you zipping around the house, yelling at someone about sh*tty headline pitches or teasing Roshan about his haircut. It’s impossible not to love you, even when you’re being a tempestuous sh*thead. Thanks for coming back to be my DME. RIP Dennys. 

Amy: If a higher power could package the light of a thousand suns into a human-sized container, that would be you. Your energy is effervescent. Half a millisecond with you brightens my day. After seeing you shine as a designer, digital editor and feature editor, I genuinely believe there is nothing that you cannot do. Let’s get boba sometime with Talia. 

Blessing: I knew I wanted to be friends with you on your first day working at The D.O. You’re the coolest and smartest person I know, and spending just an hour with you can make up for a terrible week. I hope we can get lost again soon on a back road in the middle of nowhere while searching for dream houses. Maybe we can find some chicken riggies, too. 

Haley: This paper and many, many future generations of D.O. staffers owe so much to you. You moved The D.O. to a new house during one of the craziest campus news cycles of the past decade. When you could’ve bowed out and taken a break, you came back to lead several major fundraising campaigns. I couldn’t have asked for a better example to follow as EIC, and the same qualities that make you a great leader also make you a great friend. I can’t believe we were ever just workplace proximity associates. Thank you for always cheering me on through the chaotic rollercoaster through hell that is being in MGMT. I would have crumbled this year with you. Dunkin? 

Talia: It feels like a lifetime ago when we were little freshman designers, learning what a mac and dek were. All our Sadler breakfasts and Ernie lunches freshman year were just the beginning of the most wholesome friendship I’ve ever had. You’ve endured so much bullsh*t from this universe in the past four years, yet you’ve been an impossibly kind, compassionate angel to literally everyone around you despite it all. I don’t think I would’ve made it through this semester without impromptu Gilmore Girls binge sessions at your apartment. You’ve taught me so much about self-care. I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet, but I know that I will be a stronger person because of you.

Diana: Broward b*tches are forever. The easiest way to describe you is your Dunkin order: Medium caramel iced coffee, extra cream, extra sugar. I remember the first semester after you ducked, how empty the house felt without your loud ass voice echoing up the stairs, shaking every dusty crevice of 744 to life — and probably scaring the sh*t out of the mice. Throughout all the ups-and-downs of college, you’ve been the one constant. You’re in all of my best memories from the past four years, like when we were supposed to go to D.O. formal together but ordered Domino’s to your Flint dorm instead. I was hanging on by a thread in fall 2019, but our pre-pre-headeds Pita Pit runs kept me going. I’m so glad I got you to join The D.O. even though you were convinced it was a cult. (I mean…) I hope I see you on a boat in Miami soon. Hopefully the summer sun can compete with your radiance, but it’s probably a losing game.

Emma: Parlez-vous de fromage? Someone recently asked me if I would have applied to be EIC if I knew how exhausting the pandemic would be. I torture myself about minutiae, but I’ve never had any doubts about this: I can do anything with you by my side. You have made me a better, more compassionate person, and I would not trade this past year with you for anything — despite all the late nights, crises and tears. You pick me up when I’m down, and you love me through all the sleep deprivation-induced b*tchiness. What I’ll miss most is our stream of consciousness clownery in MGMT. No one will ever provoke my piercing hyena laugh like you do.

You’re spring to me, all things to me.

Forever and ever, après vous.

Published on May 13, 2021 at 5:00 am

Contact Casey: casey@dailyorange.com | @caseydarnell_