Reflecting on four years: a heartfelt farewell to the Thresher

By Pavithr Goli     4/16/24 10:51pm

As I sit down to write this farewell column, I can’t help but feel a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. It feels like just yesterday that I nervously clicked the “Join Meeting” button on Zoom in early August of my freshman year to express my interest in joining the sports section of the Rice Thresher. Daniel Schrager and Ben Baker-Katz, the sports editors in my freshman year, welcomed me with open arms, encouraging me to write for the Thresher. Little did I know that this initial encounter would mark the beginning of an incredible journey that has shaped my college experience in ways I could have never imagined.

When I first joined the Thresher as a wide-eyed freshman, I was filled with enthusiasm and eagerness to share my opinions with the greater Rice community. Writing my first article discussing the pandemic’s impact on freshmen on the football team, I remember clumsily navigating the intricacies of AP Style as my article was littered with suggestions and comments from our editors. However, as I began to write weekly for the section, I overcame these initial challenges and found solace in the constant support that I received from all of the editors and fellow staff members. Seventy-nine articles later and having edited hundreds of articles, I am still by no means an expert in AP style. (Thank you Jonathan and Annika!) 

Over the past four years, the Thresher has been more than just a student newspaper to me — it has been home to a strong community, where I have been able to forge strong relationships and connections with other writers and staff members who share the same passion for journalism and writing as I do. Whether it was discussing the amazing Trader Joe’s haul at the Monday meetings or the InDesign struggles during our Tuesday design days, every moment spent in the Thresher office has been a cherished memory that I will carry with me long after graduation.

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Not only has the Thresher provided me with a stronger community, but it has given me a great learning environment. As someone who has contributed to various sports publications since I was 15, the Thresher has provided me with various opportunities from discussing Rice baseball with a Hall of Fame baseball coach to interviewing potential future NFL wide receiver Luke McCaffrey. Furthermore, I am so fortunate to have gone to New York to attend the Collegiate Media Conference where I had the unique opportunity to build upon my skills as a journalist and attend and cover the Big East Conference Men’s Basketball tournament as part of the conference.

As I look back on my time with the Thresher, I am filled with gratitude for the countless opportunities it has afforded me and the invaluable lessons I have learned along the way. I am grateful for the friendships forged and the bonds formed, for the mentors who have guided me and the peers who have inspired me, and for the chance to be part of a community that celebrates the power of words and the beauty of storytelling.

To Riya and Prayag, this year’s editors-in-chief, thank you so much for your exceptional leadership and unwavering support throughout this journey.

To Alice, our InDesign god, thank you so much for putting up with my InDesign failures and helping me make the page every Tuesday. 

To Kathleen, Diego and Andersen, I am very excited about the future of the sports section and have full faith that y’all will be incredible next year. 

To Daniel, thank you so much for supporting me throughout my first three years at the Thresher. You taught me so many skills that I used as an editor and am so grateful to have learned under your mentorship.

As I bid farewell to the Thresher and embark on the next chapter of my life, I do so with a heart full of gratitude and excitement for the adventures that lie ahead. Though my time as a writer for the Thresher may have come to an end, the memories, lessons and friendships I have gained will stay with me forever.

So here’s to the Thresher, the place where stories were told and memories were made. Thank you for everything.

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