I’ve probably read too many of these goodbye columns, from the people I first looked up to who left the paper four years ago — Matt Middleton, Austin Johnson, to some of my best friends and people I’ve been proud to call my co-workers — Clark Leonard, Tanner Kroeger, Nick Jeffreys, Langdon Morris. The list goes on.

But I’m not going to spend the column thanking people (except for Western Blvd.’s Joseph Davenport, who changed my view on the world, and for Fountain Dining Hall for plenty of free food). The people closest to me know how grateful I am for the past four and half years, and they know I would be nothing without their support.

Instead, I’d like to thank you, the reader. When I was editor-in-chief, my biggest emphasis was connecting Technician with the reader. Though I know I fell short in many aspects that year, there are so many things I’m also proud of.

It’s because of the readership that Technician writers and photographers are able to go to so many great places. I’ve sat courtside through an entire ACC Tournament and talked to Chuck Amato at the 50-yard line of Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, just after his Florida State team beat the Wolfpack.

Speaking of the Wolfpack, nothing has prepared me for life more than being an N.C. State fan. And that’s what college is all about, right? Getting ready for the real world. I am a hardened Wolfpack fan after four and a half years in Raleigh, but I love it. I love the team, the players, this school and this paper.

It’s difficult to quantify the amount of work that goes into each day’s paper. With new writers, photographers and editors passing through Witherspoon’s doors all the time, it can be tough to find traction when you’re looking for improvements. My memory of my tenure as editor-in-chief is already foggy — 60 hour weeks and no sleep will do that to you.

But that’s what is so great about not only Technician but college itself. You’re here not just for the results — you’re here for the experience. I won’t remember a random grade I got, or some paper I finished the morning it was due. I’ll remember a random tailgating experience, or strolling down Hillsborough Street on Hike night.

It looks like my little brother will carry on a tradition I hope I’ve started of our family members coming to N.C. State. I didn’t know what to expect when I first got here, but what an amazing time it’s been. Hopefully you’ll read my writing in the future (assuming a journalism future exists), and hopefully I’ll be back in Raleigh from time to time, checking in on the Wolfpack.

Thanks to everyone for the comments — positive and negative alike — on my stories for the past four-plus years. I hope I’ve provided some entertainment, and even a little insight, on what it’s like to be a passionate college kid having the time of his life.