Tyler: So a senior column is like a rite of passage in the college newspaper world, right Glenn? Like, we’re supposed to write about all that sappy jazz, what we’re going to miss most, what we would have done differently and everything like that, right?

Glenn: Yeah I think that’s what we are supposed to do. A veritable award acceptance speech 

wherein we talk about all the people on campus we like and who we appreciate.

Elizabeth: ….Really? I think you guys are better than that. We’re journalists, we aren’t supposed to have emotion.

Tyler: Hey! It’s okay sometimes. We do a good job of staying objective the rest of the time; I think we should be allowed to talk about how we feel sometimes.

Melanie: No one wants to read about you crying, Tyler. Keep that out of the paper. 

Tyler: Sorry! I don’t really want the last thing that I write for this paper to be crying either. So it won’t be. How about starting off with a question: what is the hardest that you guys have laughed in the office this year?

Melanie: Any time someone said we would be done by midnight on a Tuesday…. 

Tyler: We did that once though! And I think I was the only one who ever said that.

Elizabeth: Knowing you, probably true. I’m still not sure what I got myself into by joining the team…but I guess you guys are okay. Hands down the funniest thing this year was when Chris had his headphones in and the only thing that caught his attention was a gay soccer player. Someone explain that so Chris doesn’t hate me. Gingers need to stick together, after all.

Glenn: Well, I was trying to get Chris’s attention. I tried calling his name several times, calling him ginger and finally in an act of desperation and as a joke I said, “Look, a gay soccer player!” Which really got Chris’s attention. This sparked a large amount of speculation about Chris and his relationship with soccer.

Chris: Hey, what are you guys talking about? Crap, I did it again. In all seriousness, I had my music on pretty loud and it was pure coincidence that I piped up when I did… Nothing is going to salvage this, is it? 

Elizabeth: Not a darn thing, Chris Bils. Not a darn thing.

Melanie: Okay, okay. I think we’ve diminished Chris’s manhood enough. Next question: Favorite memory of this year? 

Tyler: Easy. I’m going to steal this from you girls and call out Glenn’s engagement saga. And by saga, I mean how it was one of the most commonly recurring topics of conversation throughout the entire first semester. There was laughter, there were tears. It really had all the makings of a great chick flick. Sorry Glenn.

Glenn: I like to think of my life as a series of movies, that particular semester would definitely have been a rom-com.

Elizabeth: Well, Tyler definitely hit the nail on the head when he said he was stealing the answer from the girls. All of those talks were perfect. I would get excited to come to late night just so we could hear a new part of the plan. Specifically my favorite part of that story was the night that we got to see the ring! I DIED. Literally fell out of my chair and almost cried. Actually, I think I did cry. So much for journalists not having emotion.

Tyler: You definitely cried. Fact. I think it was even more than once.

Chris: God, that was awful. I mean, I love Glenn and Missy, but I was ready for him to just pop the question so the girls could stop crying and wooing over every tiny detail. The day I stop hating wedding planning is the day I get married… or engaged, I guess. In other words, no time soon.

Glenn: My eardrums are still recovering from the squeal that you and Melanie unleashed that night when I brought the ring in.

Melanie: I thought the crying came later, when Glenn told us his proposal story. Either way, the whole “event” is definitely a favorite in the book. 

Chris: All right, I guess I’ll pop the next question. Does anyone have a favorite reporting moment or story they wrote this year?

Elizabeth: I don’t think I have a favorite story, considering I’m the photo editor, but my favorite moments for photojournalism come from San Antonio. Shooting the Brawls were always awesome too, even if you guys did try to kill me every week it was a sport.

Chris: I definitely have some great memories from San Antonio as well. From a sports perspective, nothing could top covering the women’s basketball team’s run to the national championship, and spending my birthday on the Riverwalk made things extra special. Highlight of the year for sure!

Melanie: Well, to answer the super typical question, I don’t think I have a specific favrotie story I’ve written this year. As cliché as this sounds, my favorite part of reporting is always the compliments I get on a story. Ya know, when people read a story and tell you that it meant a lot to them to be featured. That’s what makes it worth it.

Tyler: I feel like I can confidently say that my favorite reporting moment of the year came when I went to report on the horseshoe pitching world championships. Although I didn’t actually do that. Thanks Matt. I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that your horseshoe story has turned into a vicarious experience.

Elizabeth: Hey guys! Did you know he got a proclamation from the state senate for that story? Just in case you forgot..

Glenn: Wait, Matt wrote a horseshoe story?

Melanie: Okay, too much horseshoe. Next topic anyone? 

Elizabeth: I know I said I wasn’t going to be the one to get sappy, but let’s face it. It’s 5:15 in the morning and I’m tired and can’t help it. So, what are you guys going to miss the most about this year?

Chris: The answer is obvious, isn’t it? The past two years have been a blast, and two of the biggest reasons why have been Glenn and Tyler. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I joined the staff as a sophomore, but I can honestly say that I have gained two friends that are worth more than the experience of working for a college newspaper. I’m going to miss both of them dearly. Late nights just won’t be the same, and that’s why I wanted to make this one extra late. Sappy enough for you, ginger?

Melanie: Awe, Chris. You do have a soul! In all seriousness, I have to agree with Chris. I was very intimidated when joining this island of misfit toys, but it has hosted some of the best memories I have this year. Glenn and Tyler, it won’t be the same without you guys.  I never expected this friendship. Simply put, this staff will always be my first Collegian staff. After all, the Scooby Doo gang isn’t a Scooby Doo gang without Fred and Shaggy.

Elizabeth: Considering this was only my first semester technically being on staff, I didn’t know what I was really getting myself into at the beginning of the year by committing myself to hours with the newspaper for class credit. But you guys made me love being a part of The Collegian team, and yes, I am getting emotional thinking about how much things are going to change next year. When Tyler leaves, I will have no one to pick on. When Glenn leaves, I will have no one to pick on me. The memories we made this year are irreplaceable and I am so grateful to have spent so many sleepless nights with you all.

Tyler: I wouldn’t much rather be the Fred to any other group of meddling kids than these meddling kids here. Honestly, can we just revel in the perfection of that comparison for a moment? But I think I’m going to miss the pressure of always paying attention to every little thing that you do in this office. I mean, it’s pretty much a case of: if you make one wrong move, someone’s going to jump on it. It might have been a little thing like missing a word (or using the wrong word), or a big thing like leaving your phone unlocked on the desk when you leave for a drink, but every opportunity was seized. And most likely tweeted to the world. 

Glenn: *Deep breath* 

The Collegian has been my life at Ashland University since the first week of school. The first story I ever wrote was about the students who stayed over the summer to do research with the biology department. I learned a lot about this school by writing for this newspaper and I would be a horrible person if I didn’t mention and thank some people at this university. Thank you whoever came to speak at the fall 2008 college fair in the Middletown mall. Thank you to Steve Hannan, Rick Ewing, and Curtis White for taking a rookie reporter seriously and treating me with an undeserved degree of respect. I have to thank all of my journalism professors for putting up with me and my insane references. I especially have to thank Matt Tullis, who has been one of the greatest mentors I’ve ever had. For better or for worse, mostly everything I learned in my four years here I’ve learned from him. 

Ashland University is where I’ve met some of my best friends of all time, many of them my Collegian coworkers.  Ashland University is where I met my fiancée, Missy Loar, and where we will be married this fall. Ashland University is the place where I got to learn how to be me.

“Accent on the Individual” was the motto when I got here and in my heart, it always will be.

May the Force be with you. Always.