“It’s something unpredictable/But in the end it’s right/I hope you had the time of your life” – “Good Riddance” -Green Day

There is a reason why this song is played on repeat at every slideshow, graduation ceremony and great sitcom’s final episode. Its lyrics have become cliched as they symp up what everyone feels; in the end, it only matters if you had a great time. I hope my last column is the same way: a little cliched and overdone.

Think back over the past four years of columns in this paper, only one column has truly affected who I am. That column was written by THE Sam Elchert, the smartest, funniest and sexiest man I ever stalked, and the reason that I write this column today.

Throughout the year, Sam’s column touched me in so many ways; I laughed, cried, laughed some more and finally learned what life was like. He didn’t have to be the life of the party all the time, but he saved himself up so everything he said was profound.

And because of this, I learned more from the few times I spoke to him than all classes I have been in put together. He was truly that special of a man; his life is always an adventure, and I hope I have the opportunity to be an underwear model in Japan like he has. What this has to do with you, the readers of this distinguished column, is this: I hope I have touched you in the same way. I hope you laughed, cried, laughed some more and finally learned what life is all about. I doubt I have had that kind of impact; probably most of the school has thrown out the paper before they get to my column. But for those who have read it every issue, I hope you got half as much out of reading my column as I got from reading Sam’s. If that is done, I know I have done my job.

With all that said, I’d like to end my last column like Sam ended his by giving a little last advice to all the grades. Freshmen, congratulations, you are no longer the punching bags of the school; you are now true humans. Continue to work hard because there’s a long way to go, but also remember to party it up because it will all be done before you know it. Sophomores, rejoice in the fact that you are halfway there. I hate to break it to all of you, but the worst has yet to come, but also the best. Juniors, you made it through the year from hell, have fun with the semester from hell. Just make it through January because it’s easy sailing from there on out.

To my fellow seniors, we have experienced every emotion together, and there really isn’t anything left to say. To wherever life takes you, I hope you have the time of your life.