Sniff, sniff. I think I’m going to cry. This is my last column for the Daily.

Thursday is the last summer edition of the Daily. After that, there will be no more anything written by Tim Frerking in the Daily.

Many might say, “It’s about time he’s leaving,” but through the years, the Daily has done much for me and, to me, it is sad to see that I won’t be contributing to the student newspaper anymore.

On the other hand, I look forward to getting the hell out of here and moving on to bigger and better journalistic aspirations. I won’t be too far. I’m moving across town to work with my friends at The Daily Tribune.

“What? The Trib?” you ask. Yes, The Trib. Though a large rivalry has grown, a lawsuit is pending appeal and some people on both sides have personal stakes in the battle, I look forward to moving across town and working at a professional newsroom which, from what I have seen and heard, is energetic and excited about its journalistic roles.

Of course, the Daily has a great newsroom, too, and it is, and always has been, a pleasure to walk in and see friends. It is not a professional newsroom, of course, because it is a learning place (as a student newspaper should be), and I always love to see reporters come in and improve their work here.

I’ve seen people go from being completely new to the media world and end up writing wonderful articles which would do well in professional publications.

The Daily has taken me from being a new ISU student who didn’t know anyone in Ames but relatives to someone who can’t walk down the street without bumping into someone I know.

The Daily has given me direction, let me honed my writing and layout skills, taught me many things about journalism not taught in classes (though the journalism department is top notch in my book), helped me find my collegiate friends, and it helped me get the job at The Trib.

I started at the Daily in the summer of 1995 immediately after transferring from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Marty Helle was the editor in chief. He was a transfer student, which made me think that if a transfer student can climb the ladder to editor in chief in two years, so could I.

Since then I’ve written many opinion columns and news articles on interesting subjects. I wrote a humorous column about the top 10 reasons to riot at Veishea ’96. One reason was: “Student Death Center — Need I say more?”

The folks at the health center cut the column out and highlighted those words and put it in my file. When I saw that, I asked why, but the nurse didn’t know who put it in there. I never did find out, but I hoped they had a sense of humor.

I wrote the news about when black student security guard Deantrious Mitchell was found to be lying about being beaten by eight white men. I wrote almost all the news having to do with the Beardshear Eight situations and won $750 from the Hearst Foundation for one banner-headline article about them.

I wrote about how Bill Sellers was doing they day after his son Uri was murdered during Veishea, an experience I will never forget. I also wrote about Luke Abrams and Michael Runyan turning themselves in to Fort Dodge police.

I wrote about President Martin Jischke approving the name of Jack Trice Stadium. I wrote about Tom Thielen retiring after 22 years as vice president for student affairs. I wrote about the Solar Car team’s van crashing in Kansas.

Each story is an adventure. There were many more than these, of course, but each one conjures memories of the trials and tribulations, the thrills and chills, of bringing quality news to the students of Iowa State University.

I love journalism, especially newspaper journalism for it is the finest quality and most immediate of all the journalism professions. It definitely beats the hell out of broadcast journalism, that’s for sure.

One of the main reasons why I love journalism is it allows me to continue learning after I graduate.

With each story I learn more and pass it on to educate the public. Another reason is the joy of writing. I am a writer first, but to be a good writer I must also be a good reporter so that I have the best information with which to write.

But most of all, I love the memories of bringing the news, especially ones of when the newsroom is hot with excitement or controversy.

Just watch the movie “The Paper,” directed by Ron Howard, if you want to get a look into what I mean.

Good-bye.

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Tim Frerking is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Pomeroy. He is the summer editor in chief of the Daily.