Editor’s Notes: Traditionally, graduating seniors working at The Collegian are given the chance to write a farewell note at the end of their tenure at CSU.

Dear reader,

Managing editor was a position that I never thought I would have, and now it’s time to say goodbye. And honestly, I never thought this time would come.

After two years at The Collegian, starting as design editor and ending as managing editor, the newsroom has felt like a consistent home where everywhere else just felt temporary. A home where I always felt accepted and encouraged to do the work that I do every day.

This year has been a lot, and I think many people at Colorado State University and Rocky Mountain Student Media can agree with that. But we made it — we all made it!

Between the incredible highs of publishing some of the best stories and trying my hand at reporting for the first time, to the deep lows of feeling so overwhelmed that I couldn’t imagine getting through another production night, I could not have done it without my amazing team by my side.

This year, I had the pleasure of taking on two positions: the second being the editor-in-chief for College Avenue Magazine. The challenge of managing two publications has taught me that it is incredibly important to have people around you that believe in the work that you are doing. The students I worked with this year have taught me more about what I want to do with my career than I ever thought possible, and it has changed a lot since I wandered into the newsroom my sophomore year.

As students at Rocky Mountain Student Media prepare to step into new roles, it is time for some of us to pass the torch to our successors. Over the past few months, Collegian news director Austin Fleskes has been training to take over as the 2019-20 managing editor. But the challenge and privilege of this position is something that I could never teach him. But he cares, and that is what matters.

So thank you to the 2018-19 Collegian staff. Thank you for a wonderful year. Thank you for all the love and support. Thank you for all of the tireless work that you did. And thank you for making me feel welcome in a place where I never thought I could thrive in. I would not be the person I am today without any of you, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

Just remember: “It is always important to keep pushing forward. It does not matter where you are going or what you are doing, as long as you are doing what you love and not taking a step back.”

The Collegian has made me realize that I always want to find a home in a newsroom, because that is where you will find the best people.

Shelby Holsinger was the managing editor of The Rocky Mountain Collegian. She can no longer be reached at sholsinger@collegian.com, but you may still reach out to her on Twitter @shelbyholsinger.