But I mention Ben because only two years ago he was one of my first compers, which reminds me that my foot is truly out the door. I have seen him and his classmates grow into fantastic leaders of not only Sports but also the entire building, and I cannot believe that was the doing of the 138 and guards before us.
I have held leadership positions in the past, but it is in college that I realized that one can have a real impact on younger generations, and it is quite evident in this column. Here I am babbling about friends who have shaped my life, and I just hope that the 138 has had that positive effect on the 139 and beyond.
*****
I do not think I can write a parting shot without mentioning my unexpected bromance with Dennis J. Zheng ’12. At the start of our tenure as Sports chairs, Dennis was not even a friend—I had had only a handful of conversations with him, and I found him a little intimidating.
He was a pre-med like I was, but his eye for the minutiae was something that I did not have. He was a strong writer and accomplished editor, but only a few people on the board knew him well. So when we started our tenure, we complemented each other nicely but were unfamiliar with our respective ways.
The Sundays we spent putting the Sports section together helped. We learned about our respective tastes in music, found out that we loved Domino’s a little too much, and shared our personal stories and drama. Maybe old Indian customs have it right—this arranged marriage has truly worked out.
*****
To be honest, I did not know what my parting shot would be about—hence the whole LoveSac theme—but as I started writing, it became clear that I wanted this column to express my gratitude to the Crimson.
I wanted to thank the Crimeds who influenced my decisions and shaped my college career. I wanted to express how grateful I am to the Crimson for the support it has given me on so many levels. Execs and writers, I love you. The friendships I have formed here by performing exec duties, doing Commencement production, or covering a beat—especially the same ones throughout the years, Alex Sopko—are ones that will last a lifetime.
I wish I had more space to talk about the process behind several stories I have written, the time I went to Cornell with a ragtag crew, my random Dartmouth road trip, all the holiday parties and socials, our trip to the NCAA tournament, Commencement 2011, etc. I wish I could mention more people as well—there have been numerous coaches, players, and fellow Sports members who have taught me a lot. But I will leave Harvard and the Crimson with a plethora of memories and feeling that I am the luckiest guy ever, and I cannot ask more than that. Thank you, The Harvard Crimson.
—Staff writer Brian A. Campos can be reached at bcampos@post.harvard.edu.