Former News Editor Bids Fordham Farewell

This is the last article I will ever write for The Ram. Most of you probably couldn't care less. Some of you are greatly relieved that precious trees will no longer be sacrificed to print my insidious prose. Hopefully hearing this will make a handful of you sad, especially if it encourages you to think of all the "last" things you'll do or you've already done in the last weeks of college.

I'm thinking of my last classes – I won't be debating Edith Wharton with fellow lit buffs much after this week – and last chances to stretch out on Eddie's in the afternoon sun. I'm thinking of last dances (shout out to CAB for realizing how much we Fordham kids love to dance and bringing Girl Talk and DJ Earworm to campus, not to mention RHA's fantastic Under the Tent) and last Buffalo chicken wraps at the Grille.

I'm thinking of all the teachers I've had and how they changed my life, like Professor McLeod, whose development class made me realize that poor people in China and Africa and India are just as important as people in the United States, and maybe they shouldn't die horrible malaria-related deaths. Or Professor Burke, who gave me a chance to compete in the Fed Challenge despite my thinner background, and Professors Sicker and Caldwell and Andindilile, who challenged me and reinforced my love for literature and writing.

This is quickly descending into a grocery list of gratitude, so before I get to the really important people, the part where if you don't know me you really need to stop reading and do something productive, I want to make a couple reflections. I spent a lot of time on the pages of this newspaper complaining and criticizing. Almost all of it was because I love this school so damn much and I just wanted to make it a better place.

You see, Fordham is like a beautiful girl with a huge heart, but who is horribly embarrassing at parties and sometimes does really stupid things. In the end though, it usually does those stupid things out of love. Sure, Father McShane is a bit obsessed with boosting fundraising, but that's his job, and if he does it well we're all going to benefit, and sure, Fordham spends a lot of that hard-earned money in ridiculous ways, but it's all in an attempt to make this school better. The point is, Fordham, like the beautiful girl, isn't perfect, but I love Fordham and Fordham loves me back all the same.

First things first, then. Mom and Dad, thank you for all your love and support over the past 21 years. I am literally made of you, in body and spirit. Isn't that a scary concept? We're all made of our parents. It kind of makes you want to respect them a bit more. Also, Dad, thanks for getting me a job. I'll start sending the checks as soon as I can. You may want to prepare for your retirement in a more secure fashion.

To all my fellow Ram staffers: Nick Thibideau, you were the best partner an editor could have; I think I was good for you, and you were good for me. Amanda Fiscina, you balanced the impossible responsibilities of being editor-in-chief with grace; thanks for taking all those bullets for me. Mark Becker, you are doing tremendously in her footsteps, not to mention being a heck of a B-league softball captain. Copy editors, I'm sorry for not making all the changes. Patrick Derocher, keep fighting the good fight.

Dan Fogarty, you're one of the best friends I've ever had, and you broke my heart when you transferred to George Washington, which is why I'm so happy you're coming back for law school in New York. I'll never forget our two-paper all-nighter that probably included more Madden than essay writing.

Mike Valenza, Sunday nights aren't going to make sense anymore when I'm not playing bass with you in Folk Choir. On top of that, thank you for always faithfully reading my newspaper articles and being a genuine real friend. You've probably read more of my articles than my parents, and you've definitely read more than my girlfriend, which brings me to…

Emily Turek, I have been in love with you since the day we met (1,346 days ago), and if all I had to show for four years at Fordham was our relationship, it still would have been the best four years of my life.

That's pretty much everybody, except for Fordham University. You know what? I think I'm going to hold out on a final word of gratitude until I've got that diploma in my hands. Just to be safe.

So long Ram reader. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me.

Robert Pergament, FCRH '10, is an English and economics major from Garden City, N.Y.