ALEKSANDRA KONSTANTINOVIC

Editor-In-Chief // Multimedia Editor // Associate News Editor

This is the last thing I’ll ever publish in the UCSD Guardian. Let’s let that thought sink in for a second. Since my freshman year, I’ve spent my Sundays and Wednesdays in this little corner office in Original Student Center, and after I lock the door this Wednesday night, I will be (happily and confidently) turning the paper over to someone else.
During my tenure as Editor in Chief, my staff has been the most dedicated, determined, capable, intelligent and entertaining group of people I could’ve asked for. Your tremendous strength and never-ending sass are the reasons we’ve had two incredible quarters, and you should all be very, very proud of yourselves.

Zev, you are occasionally a pain in the ass (case in point: your sendoff). That being said, you were also the catalyst for my journalistic career as well as a stellar boss, editor and friend. Thank you for two years’ worth of edits, for dragging me up the ladder at the Guardian and for being in my corner when things got tough.

Andrew and Taylor, it’s been an honor to watch your evolution from sweet rays of positivity into the snarky, bitter souls you are now. You’ve both been incredible managers who simultaneously took care of the details while helping to perpetuate the shenanigans. We couldn’t have put out such a stellar paper without you.
To Vincent, Rosina, Tina and the Guardian staff that’s staying on board for next year: Treasure every second that you’re overworked, underpaid and stuck in the office until the wee hours of the morning. It was easy to complain about those never-ending days, but before I knew it, I was wrapping up three years of Sunday and Wednesday productions and wondering what on earth I will do with all my free time. You guys have some amazing ideas for the paper and I can’t wait to see where you take it.

I will miss you all tremendously. You’ve been my dearest friends (and practically my roommates) for the past three years. Best of luck, much love and stay classy, UC San Diego.

TEIKO YAKOBSON

Features Editor

Even though most of you have graduated and won’t see this, I want to give a huge shoutout to UCSD’s chemical engineers. All of you are so much smarter than I could ever dream to be, and my love for you is real. We’ve been through too many years of GBMs, crepe fundraisers, study groups, conferences, Hertz, senior design all-nighters and Pacific Beach nights for me to think of you as anything less than family. Iza Samek, Erica Fung, Avital Slavin, Kimi Csanadi, Oliver Molina, Daniel Chillin and Donald De Leon: we’ve been through the good, the bad and the stress-crazy together. Adil Saleh, Brian Zhou and Christianna Lininger, you are the only reason I made it through senior design. Vincent Li, you should be a life coach because I probably would have dropped this major if you hadn’t been there to convince me that I have what it takes. And everyone from the class of 2014, we have a bond that will never break (I thought about making a chemistry joke there but decided I’d save you the eye roll).

Another shoutout to the next generation of Chem-Es: Bao Vo Ngo, Rachel Patron, Sarah Diaz, Michael Cerdino, Melissa Nguyen, Michael Yuen, Giselle Bang, Jonathan Hall, Mio White, Darren Anthony, Kimberly Nguyen and everyone else at AIChE. It was a pleasure watching you all grow up from your freshmen years and achieve so much, all while making time to grow the org into a foundation for lifelong friendships, just like your own. I’m excited for your futures!

I don’t know how I could possibly fully express this in print (I would probably have to use Wingdings), but I am so grateful that I was placed in an apartment with Joyce Kim and Jennifer Shih at the beginning of freshman year. I admire you both so much for always saying what I think in my head but don’t say out loud for fear of judgment and for not judging me when I do say those things so that I can learn to live fearlessly. I’m equally grateful for Ephraim Lu and Edward Nguyen, two more of my best friends who have seen how I’ve evolved over the years. All of you have inspired me to not only accept myself but to wear my colors as proudly as you do. 

And lastly, my newest set of friends, but friends whom I hold so close to my heart nonetheless: the UCSD Guardian staff. Even as the oldest kid in the lot, I’ve learned so much from all of you. Our adventures this year have been crazy for all of us, but we stuck together and came out on top each time. If I had the extra space, I would shoot off a paragraph for each of you about how you’ve changed my life, but I’m just going to hope you know how much you mean to me and that I can’t wait until you guys come join the New York Times with me!

ZEV HURWITZ

Editor-In-Chief // Managing Editor / News Editor

Please understand that I am not here with a bucket to collect my tears.

Already, I stepped down as Editor in Chief back in December and haven’t been a student at UCSD since the school had Porter’s Pub and a University Art Gallery.

Despite my already substantial break from the UCSD Guardian, I’m grateful for the opportunity to say my goodbyes in a final piece. Reaching the top post at the Guardian was a dream of mine since my first quarter in La Jolla, but there was no way that I could have gotten there without the help of my mentors and colleagues throughout my first three years at UCSD.

Even when I took on the job last March, my title and purpose would have been pointless had not been for the great co-stars and their countless hours put in at the office.

So now that I say farewell, I must admit to myself that I simply do not have the space on this page or in any entire volume of the Guardian to do justice in thanking all who deserve it.

I am so grateful to those who paved the leadership roles before me with their leadership and guidance. Consequently, I am also very blessed to have worked with those who followed behind me and picked up where I left off.

Knowing I would not have room to even mention everyone’s name, I’m taking the cheap way out and not attempting to mention everyone. 

Anyone whose name ever appeared in an issue on a byline, photo or art credit or as a production-day staffer, I thank you for every moment you gave to this operation.

I will make but one personal thank you. Aleksandra Konstantinovic has been the fearless warrior who took over for me at a critical point in time, which really got the paper back on track. As she signs her name to her final paper, I am honored to have known such a wonderful student journalist, friend, mentee, mentor and partner. As a parting gift, I direct Ms. Konstantinovic to review the first 10 sentences of this piece and put the first letter of each sentence together as my final message to her as EIC.

To Aleks and my former bosses, trainers, trainees, friends, co-workers, supporters, readers, associates, ex-girlfriends, writers, artists, photographers, editors, copy readers, designers, business managers, advertising representatives, social media gurus, developers, columnists and people who just seemed to hang around the office whom I was privileged to meet and work with through the Guardian, I thank you for the entire experience.

JACQUELINE KIM

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Am I really writing my very last article for the UCSD Guardian? After this, I won’t really know what to do with myself. It’ll be weird not having to write a review for deadlines each week.

But it’ll be even weirder not seeing my beautiful, fantastically talented, down-to-earth Guardian family every week. I came here in search of a community — and eureka! The gifts that you have given me are priceless, and I will carry your treasures with me for the rest of my life.

Everyone I have worked with has been outstanding, and I look up to each of you. But because of this darned word count, I can only send a shout-out to a few individuals:

Laira, Zev and Jacey: You’ve all long moved on, but you have no idea how grateful I am that two years ago, three brilliant people put so much faith in me and welcomed me as an editor.

Allie, aka the Crispiest One: The office isn’t the same without Her Randomness! Thank you for being the first person to welcome me into the Guardian.

Aleks and Taylor: If I could be half as fabulous as the two of you, I would consider myself fortunate (and an honorary member of your time-bending family).

Kyle, aka the Walking Pandora Station: Thank you for your help, enthusiasm and creativity — and for always generously covering for me when I had wacky schedules and for being our custodian/paperboy/writer of everything!

Vincent: It wasn’t long ago we were planning Weekend or ranting about MMW, and here you are: EIC of the whole freakin’ paper! Your enthusiasm and work ethic is exactly what the G’s next generation needs, and I have no doubt the paper will flourish during your tenure.

Tina and Karly: I could not be happier that A&E will be left to your capable hands — and this is coming from a total control freak.

My A&E staff: You are the real heart and soul of our section. I constantly learned from your endless curiosity and creativity. I am so proud A&E has such talent, and you can bet I’ll still be reading for years to come!

TAYLOR SANDERSON

Managing Editor // Photo Editor

Let’s just be clear: I don’t do the words around here. As former Photo Editor, and manager of the visual side of the Guardian, I would much rather just put a photo here of me waving goodbye than spend time writing a send-off. Nevertheless, my three years here (is it only three years? It feels like my whole life ) merit a proper goodbye to the amazing people who I’ve worked with.

This weird group of misfits who sometimes, somehow spits out a newspaper has completely changed my college experience. Somewhere in between the absurd brackets, the office pranks and shenanigans I gained practical experience, confidence in myself, memories that will last the rest of my life, and my closest friends. Without the experiences I had in this office I would be a different person (a better person maybe, but who cares.) Maybe it was when we taped Zev’s belongings to the ceiling, maybe it was when we stood together against censorship, or maybe it was when we all piled into a photobooth at once…but at some point we became friends. I want to thank all of you for giving me the memories that make up the best of my time at UCSD. 

To all the babies who are just now joining the Guardian, do not be afraid.  For me, it all began with a random flier posted on a wall in Sixth.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Working at the Guardian can be difficult, infuriating and time consuming. But it can also be endlessly entertaining, supportive and fun. I  am so thankful for the opportunity to have worked here, and I will, in a weird way, miss it as I leave UCSD and go off into the real world.