At On Century Avenue we let our work speak for itself, which is why, every time I have been asked to write a letter from the editor, I have usually foregone to ensure that the depth of our work projects the voices of our writers, and our community. Conversation needs to take its natural course, not one that is prescribed by the editorial team of our weekly paper. However, today is not one of those usual occasions. Today, I write to bid farewell as the editor of a newspaper that has (hopefully) been pivotal in creating healthy discourse around central issues in our community. On Century Avenue for me represents something a lot greater than a mere student publication. It represents an entity premised on establishing accountability and voicing dissent to improve the situation here at NYU Shanghai. This past year we have experienced exponential growth. Not only have we established the proper infrastructure to govern a credible student-run publication, but we have also stood our ground on topics that would otherwise remain unaddressed. Be it the controversy surrounding GPC and its grading standards, the “increase” in student transfers, the banned documentary on pollution in China, the Hong Kong protests, or Chinese conscription policies, our editorial staff has spent countless sleep-deprived Sunday nights working hard to get the best stories to you every Monday. Personally, OCA has been a pivotal part of my student life. Ever since I joined the staff freshman year, it has been an essential part of who I am. For me, On Century Avenue represents a uniting force within our student body that permeates nationality and language in order to promote dialogue. At the expense of sounding cliché, I am a better person as a result of working for On Century Avenue. This experience has taught me the true meaning of friendship, resilience, and perseverance stemming from an ambitious vision. I take this as an opportunity to thank the entire team of On Century Avenue, who made all of this possible. Above all, I thank the student community, for appreciating, and more importantly for critiquing, our work, and motivating us to go the extra mile every time we fell short. To the class of 2017, I cannot possibly thank you enough for making the past two years the best ones of my life. From the floods in ECNU, to the cold showers in 268, we have been through it all, together. I wish you all the best for your junior year, wherever you are spending it. All of us had a little bit of crazy in us to make Shanghai our home, and there is never a dull day wherever all of you go. Lastly, to all of our lovely readers, thank you for being a dedicated audience. I recall moping in the library after receiving my first C on a paper when a reader came up to me and congratulated me on that week’s issue. At that point I knew: my job here is done. We have successfully created a news source for our community. Letting go is never easy, but it is made easier when you know that you have an incoming team of dedicated individuals who place the organization before themselves. Keep talking, keep writing, and keep inspiring. Signing off, Alhan Fakhr This article was written by Alhan Fakhr. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Tirza Alberta