It’s time I give you a little bit of myself.
Three semesters ago, you met me. Since then, my picture and column has marked the Monday pages of my favorite campus publication.
It has been three years since I started writing for The Daily Reveille. Without a doubt, I enjoyed being a reporter. But the job of a columnist is like no other.
What you’ve seen each week is a 500-word account of something that’s really happened to me or someone close to me.
Today, 40 columns later, you know me a little more than I’d like. But I wouldn’t take any of it back.
You’ve witnessed my first true love along with my monumental heartbreak. You were there for a handful of crushes and even a few terrible dates.
But as much as I revealed, there were a few things I kept to myself.
The most important relationship a journalist has is with his reader. The ultimate reward is getting someone to read past the first sentence of a story – anything more than that is icing on the cake.
The topics I wrote about were picked by me because I thought you, my readers, would enjoy them. Beyond that, all I could do was be myself.
Aside from the critics, and the fans, the real people I owe everything to are the ones who’ve rarely been mentioned in my columns – they mean the world to me.
To my mom and dad: thank you for being there for me even five states away. You read every column – the good and the bad. I know it must’ve been difficult reading your only daughter’s account of college relationships and then pretending it was OK.
To Joscelyn and Sheena: thank you for being my biggest fans. The three of us have been through some tough relationships, but somehow we still have faith that he’s out there somewhere.
To Austin: you are amazing. You’ve really shown me how a woman should be treated, and I couldn’t feel luckier to have you by my side.
And finally, to my readers: thanks for everything. You’re a tough crowd, but a fun one at the least.
Whether you’re single, in a relationship, homosexual or even married, all I can hope is that you got something from this column.
As flattering as it is to be labeled as the “relationship guru,” I can’t put myself on a pedestal. Face it, I just have strong opinions, no shame and a loud mouth. You know what they say: those who can’t do, teach.
Unfortunately, there is no formula I can give that will lead each of you to ultimate happiness – after all, what would be the point in that? But I will leave you with this: if it isn’t making you happy, stop doing it.
It’s that simple.
 
Holly kisses on the first date. Contact her at [email protected]