Spring of my freshman year, I thought I wanted to quit writing for The Daily Orange.  It’s fall of my junior year now, and working at The D.O. has been my favorite two semesters in college. Here’s a thank you to the people who made it so.

Schneid: My first beat partner. Remember when Leonid Yelin started asking us questions at a press conference? That was wild. Thanks for those Colgate trips and being a great friend. FIFA soon?

Kaci: I’m as inspired by you as anyone at the paper in my time here. You walked into the D.O. sports section as the only woman at the time, and you never let anyone stop you. I’ll always have your back, even when you pitch a bad mac.

Graham: Thanks for always having the takes ready and always being ready for any debate. I always enjoyed them and learned something. RIP Monday Morning emails.

Nick: There’s no one I looked forward to reading stories with more than you. Your editing and storytelling are top notch. We clicked more than I thought we would in-house together. Thanks for being the voice of reason for my takes. Phins up.

McCleary: I thought you really disliked me freshman year. You probably should have. But after that conversation on the porch at 741, and that call when you hired me, I realized I was wrong. Thanks for taking a chance on me, boss. Your humor in the house made work fun, and your drive made the section better.

Schafer: I was more afraid of you than anyone at this place, but you already knew that. Some of my biggest learning moments at the D.O. came through conversations with you. Your advice means a lot to me. Thanks for being hard on me. Third wheel sometime?

Fortier: People always say they were intimidated by you. I never really saw it that way. Thank you for giving me my first story, my first beat and being my first D.O. mentor. Thank you for convincing me not to quit the paper completely in that hour-long car ride. Thanks for answering my LND texts.

Guti: There’s no one I’d rather be with at the Glens Falls Diner at 9 p.m. on a Sunday night.

Liberman: I’ve tried to emulate you in many ways here. You’re talented as hell. Yeah, you probably should have made that bet. I’ve missed your presence this year on campus. Thanks for always having my back.

Charlie: It shouldn’t be a surprise that two loud Italians got along as well as we do. Thanks for always being one of my go-to guys for sports talk, especially in the dog days of summer.

Billy: Few people cared as much about this place or worked as hard as you did. That Wake Forest trip was an incredible experience for me, even if it was just another road trip for you.

Aro: My pool loving friend. Few people embrace their individuality like you did your two semesters. I’d go as far as to say I was your biggest fan at the newspaper. I’ve almost never seen you in a bad mood.

Crane: I make fun of you a lot, but always know it’s because I care about you. I’ll miss your texts in the morning asking about things we messed up. It shows how much you care. I’m excited to see you grow as a writer and run this section one day.

Hillman: You can learn a lot about someone covering softball doubleheaders in the cold. Sorry for annoying you in house with my bad jokes. Not really. London, here we come.

Emerman: Forever proud we made #overheard-in-house our own personal channel. Our humor and creativity really connected well this semester, and the dedication you’ve shown has impressed me. It’s your section now. That is shocking.

Mackenzie: Sadler 7 FOREVER. I wasn’t lying when I called you one of the most impressive people I’ve met here. You’re so involved yet so good at everything you do. Glad you took a chance on news.

Maeve: My realest fake friend ever. We had a rocky start, but you always answered my late-night texts. I learned quickly that you’re one of the most loyal people I know.

Molly: You have a smile and a laugh that lights up every room you’re in. Thank you for understanding why smiling and laughing matters so much to me.

Susie: Wish we had gotten closer when you worked in-house. Glad we did after you left. We’re a lot more similar than I ever could have imagined.

Anna H: You were always mean to me, but I could tell your jokes came from love. Thanks for letting me hang in digital. Sorry about the tight pants.

Anna G: I am toasted. Hope you are too. Thanks for always spilling tea, even if I never got that invite.

Sarah Slavin: Whoa, were you a PAF TA? Thanks for letting me relive my TA days last spring. Thanks for always being honest and being someone I can chat with about anything.

Everyone else I missed because word counts: Even a bad night at the D.O. is better than a good night almost anywhere else. Despite my annoying quirks and bad jokes, I tried to get to know all of you and be an uplifting presence in the house. Thank you for everything.

KJ: My best friend at the D.O. Thank you for always pushing me to be better. You’ve always understood me more than anyone here. We push back on each other a lot, we fight sometimes, but in the end it’s because I care a lot about you. This story could start at our first Sunday meeting freshman year. Or my 1 a.m. phone call inviting you to Baltimore. Or our first tennis coverage together. Or in Chatham in Cindy’s basement. I’m just glad the story hasn’t ended yet. Let’s keep writing it together.

Published on December 5, 2019 at 2:02 am

Contact Anthony: amdabbun@syr.edu | @AnthonyDabbundo