To The Eggplant, With Love

Greetings, reader. If you consider yourself a regular Eggplant consumer, I would like to begin this letter by offering my sincerest thanks and gratitude. This publication runs completely independently and thrives off of public support and donations from everyday people just like you. Without our loyal readership, The Eggplant would not be able to ceremoniously poke fun at the SLC or profess our love for Railroad Square. I hope I don’t sound too clingy when I say this, but I love you. 

I applied for The Eggplant at the beginning of Spring 2018, halfway through my freshman year at FSU. Up until that point, I had remained relatively sheltered, comfortably living within my bubble of high school friends and acquaintances. The thought of sharing my comedy with others (let alone...other funny people…) was absolutely terrifying. Stand-up seemed like a distant dream, and the prospect of making new friends made me shiver in my knock-off Doc Martens. After following The Eggplant on twitter for a few months, I decided to bite the bullet and apply, and lo and behold, I made it on staff. Scary! But exciting!

I transitioned from Staff Writer to Co-Editor in Fall 2019, at the start of my junior year. During this time, I solidified incredible, and hopefully life-long friendships with fellow Eggplant writers that I will always cherish. Mallory, Nellie, and Megan: meeting the three of you has been, by far, the highlight of my time at FSU, and I sincerely thank you guys for being among my closest friends. Here’s to hoping none of us get famous so that our horrifying conversations never get leaked. Also, let’s watch TLC together later? 

To my lovely Co-Editor Connie: Wow. You are a star if I’ve ever seen one. Thank you for always being up for my looney ideas and answering my panicked texts at all hours of the night. I feel so confident leaving this publication in your soft, supple hands (I imagine). I’m so happy to let the unironic girlbossery continue with you and (our new Co-Editor) Delaney! Seriously, how are you both gorg and smart and funny AND kind??? It’s like, leave some for the rest of us!

To the incredible Eggplant Staff I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside: thank you, thank you, thank you. I have genuinely looked forward to seeing your beautiful faces every Sunday afternoon for the past three and a half years. To our readers: we truly could not do this without you. I hope that The Eggplant FSU continues to hold a spot in your heart long after you leave Tallahassee, even if new articles make you feel old (and they will). 

To the Eggplant editors and writers that came before me: I hope I’ve made you proud. To Sydney and Mallorie: thank you for seeing potential in me all those years ago. The two of you believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and it’s because of the two of you that I am able to write this sappy swan song today. 

Goodbyes are never easy. I’ve always hated change, but I can confidently say that I am optimistic of what’s to come in the future, whether that involves comedy, writing, or making new friends. As a final send-off, I want to pitch one last headline that I think summarizes my thoughts and feelings during this transitional moment:

“Shy Freshman Girl Transforms into Confident College College Graduate in the Blink of an Eye”

Con mucho, mucho, mucho amor,

Meagan 

Eggplant FSU Staff Writer 2018-2019

Co-Editor 2019-2021