Putting out this newspaper everyday was no easy task. The time commitment was grueling and the dedication, by everyone involved, was immense.

There are two benefits, though. You see everyone’s hard work tangibly in print the next morning and you meet some extraordinary people with both passion and ability that is not the norm for college students. Thanks for giving me a role… and letting me orchestrate the chancellor series-it was a sick obsession.

Melissa: We sat in that office many nights and laughed almost as much as we worked. Each night we threw around life philosophies, idolized the writing of the New York Times, questioned if Chelsea was real and laughed at the expense of our writers.

Sorry I won’t be around to bring you dining hall fruit or to initiate senseless traditions (see ‘fun Fridays’) but you are going to be an exceptional news editor. Of course, if that doesn’t work out, you can always be the secretary to ‘Senator Reilly.’

Chelsea: I’m glad I coerced you into writing for the D.O., it worked out pretty well. It was a necessary step in your accession toward becoming Queen. Now that we don’t work there do we have to follow Eddie’s manifesto? ‘lose 15 lbs., do your homework and smile more.’

And yes, you can live off $100,000 a year.

Kyle: Sorry to leave you as the sole 831 resident working there, it was fun (not really) being out of the loop on all house decisions. Yet, I’ll try to tell you when we are throwing a party. That way you won’t have to find out from one of Jim’s Facebook invitations.

Mel: Thanks for putting up with my insurrections last year. Your demands made me a better writer, editor and co-worker.

I will use this as an opportunity to admit I have an obsession with The New York Times and an East coast bias. You were right. I expect you to become cutthroat reporter, living the Charlotte Grimes’ dream. One day, I plan on facing off with you from the other side of a D.C. podium. And for the record, a certain political science professor is my best friend. What can I say?

Eddie: We did some good work. It was unfortunate that eight minute abs took you away from the D.O., you were especially talented at getting kicked out buildings by firemen.

Steph: It had to be a little intimidating signing up for this gig as a freshman and then having to sit next to me. Hopefully, we made it fun for you.

Andy: Syracuse without Alec Saslow is simply barbarious. Somehow, Thursday night Quarterback will have to go on without him. Gelb: Lets Go Mets. Thanks for being the only person in that house who understood my obsession with that team. Now, I won’t have to leave at 10 p.m.-while being harassed from your office-in order to catch the ninth inning (or go to Chuck’s, which ever you think is more likely).

Schonbrun: So we let a Death of a Salesman metaphor get carried away. Happy. Biff. I also appreciate being the most uniform-conscious sports fan you know. But isn’t it ironic that I also edged you out as ‘pup food prince’?

Ethan: Late nights talking about hockey, Pittsburgh, newspapers and, well, more hockey. Watching that 1990s Rangers-Pens game in the morning hours of election night was a real privilege.

ZB: ‘What’s new news?’ Tom Raven just gets up there and lectures, he doesn’t care about anything else.

Hannah: My wrists are forever indebted to you. Those were some great massages and fun nights, like when you decided to show me every Facebook picture you ever took (starting with your freshman Halloween).

Clayton: You root for the arch-rival of every team I love. You are from Philadelphia. You are better than me at Quarterback. This makes me question how we ever became friends.

Diamond: You had a real knack for switching that little TV to the most entertaining game out there-of course it was always baseball over any other sport.

A.J.: Thanks for always pointing out that I smile the same when I’ve been drinking and when I’m lying.

Ben: My first editor. Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

Seamus: You are a funny man, but a serious editor. I can’t believe you wrote an article for class about me once.

Nick/Rick: Come on you guys are one person right? I appreciate your keeping me involved even when I didn’t get hired.

Lesley: Every time you used your veto power to shoot down one of my terrible mac heds, the world was a better place.

Levin: I decided that because you are an admitting Florida Panthers-fan, you deserve all the jokes thrown your way.

Heath: I tried pretty hard to test every EA Sports game that came across your desk. I never really succeeded, but I sure wasted a lot of time trying.

Tahmosh: Setting up a PS2 in the office and playing NCAA was awesome. Unfortunately it was ban soon thereafter.

And thanks to my roommates for putting up with my prolonged absences and requests for silence while always having glorious Thursday nights planned when I got home from work.

Published on January 24, 2008 at 12:00 pm