Since this will be my last column ever written as a member of the Northern Star and as a student at NIU, my goodbye message is a rather simple one: Thank you.

Thank you to NIU for being only an hour and 10 minutes away from my home so a person who is from a very close-knit family could go home whenever he needed to, but yet is still able to experience what it’s like to be a normal college student.

Thank you to my four brothers for believing in me and my journey at NIU, which began three years ago, and thank you for being there whenever my struggles appeared to be overwhelming.

Thank you to the Northern Star for being a place where I could see whether or not I had what it takes to pursue my dream to become a sports journalist. After spending my first year covering club sports and covering women’s soccer, wrestling and track and field this year, my self-confidence has improved and I truly believe my dream can now truly be a reality.

Thank you to all the media relations people who have been so helpful this year. Without your help, covering all my beats would’ve been a lot more challenging. To all the coaches who I have dealt with, you all helped me become a more confident and better reporter through my two years at the Star, and I appreciate that so much.

Thank you to my fellow sports reporters and editors. During my two years on the paper you guys made it so much fun to come to all our weekly meetings, and I am going to miss time talking sports in the office.

As I leave I am filled with a bittersweet feeling because I won’t get to see to see if our football team can build off the Orange Bowl appearance or if the women’s soccer team will be able to continue its turnaround next season or if the wrestling team will build on the success it had in its season. I will be keeping tabs on all the NIU programs as I enter the next phase of my life, but I am very grateful and very thankful that I got to be a part of both NIU and also the Northern Star, so thank you very much for these last three great years of my life.