Wow. That’s another four years down.And I’m not really sure if it felt like four long years or four short years.

It does feel like I’ve been at TCU for a while, though. And I’m certainly ready to finish my degree and not have to take classes anymore. Taking a full class load while trying to work what has constituted, at least some semesters, an almost full-time job at the Skiff has been difficult at best. Throw in my involvement in musical ensembles such as the marching band and you’ve got one hell of a busy schedule at times. And I’m glad to be getting away from that.

But that doesn’t mean that I won’t miss some aspects of college life.

I’m not just talking about the drinking and partying – though I’ve done my share of that as well.

I’ve got many close friends, most of them from here at the Skiff or from the TCU band program, and of course I doubt that I’ll stay in contact with more than a few of them, since that’s what tends to happen in life. So I’ll miss them.

I’ll definitely miss band. I’ve been playing trombone since I was 11 years old, so it’s been a big part of my life for a long time now. And by and large, the TCU band program has been the best thing I’ve been involved in musically in my entire life. Basketball band is more fun than I thought I could have in a musical ensemble. The various concert bands are top-notch as well, and marching band is such a huge step up from high school in terms of fun. My involvement in the marching band has even helped to foster a love of college football and sports in general that did not exist before I came to college.

Speaking of that: Man, will I miss TCU football, and having those Saturdays off to simply watch college football throughout the country whenever TCU didn’t have a home game. Next season, I may have to work on Saturdays, but hopefully I’ll be able to get a couple Saturdays off.

And I’ll miss at least some of my professors. I don’t really want to name anyone specifically – I don’t have much space here – but those professors whose classes I have enjoyed most likely know who they are, especially if I’ve taken multiple classes with them.

But you know what? It’s time to let go, to move on with life.

I’ve worked at the Skiff – along with its sister publication, Image magazine – for eight semesters now, a longer time than all but four or five other students on staff. I’ve held a variety of positions such as copy desk chief and associate editor at the Skiff, and managing editor of Image, not to mention several semesters as simply a copy editor at the two publications and one long semester as a reporter.

And I’m thankful for my time here. I’ve discovered that I don’t want a job as a reporter when I get out of college, and I’ve found that I really love editing and proofreading, something for which there are more openings – and better salaries – right now anyway. And I’ve made a lot of good friends here. Hopefully I can stay in contact with most of them.

But it’s definitely time for me to move on. To another job, maybe another city – I have lived near Fort Worth my entire life, and I want to see the rest of the country a bit.

What’s my point in all this rambling? Well, I’ve been here long enough to build a good r‚sum‚, get some good clips, make some good contacts. And everyone should do that.

I guess my message here to everyone is this: When it’s time to move on, it’s time to move on. I hate to use an old clich‚, but: Don’t frown because it’s over, smile because it happened. And don’t get so involved in something that you feel like you can’t leave. It’s not good for you, and it’s not good for what you’re involved in. Trust me on that one.

So, goodbye to Skiff and Image; I wish both publications the best in the future. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Thanks for all the “mem’ries sweet” and “comrades true.” Goodbye, and “Praise to thee, TCU.”

Longtime copy editor Jarod Daily is a graduating senior news-editorial journalism major from Keller. He has been here forever, and just wants to get out into the real world.