Believe me – I had no intention of doing this again. The pen once wielded to defend sensible conversation and entrepreneurial food truck ventures collects dust next to an ever-growing collection of empty bourbon bottles, and I busy myself with preparations for a move to our nation’s capital.

(Speaking of which, I’m told there’s a Bama Dining food truck now. I can only assume it uses silent hamster-wheel power to appease Big Education.)

Still, when friends are in dire straits, it seems only reasonable to think of something – anything! – to lend a helping hand. And so, having graduated with a degree in communications and thus no discernible skills beyond mashing a keyboard, I write.

I won’t pretend this is about much of anything; in fact, if you’re in a hurry, I’d say go ahead and just skip over it. I’m here for you too, though, if you’re reading this in a defiant act of procrastination, so let’s ride this train together.

As I mentioned previously, I’m moving to Washington, D.C. in a little over a week. I finally got a job, putting to rest a lengthy process that I occasionally detailed last spring. It’s an odd mix of emotions, but perhaps most surprising is the deep affection I’ve recently felt for Tuscaloosa.

I don’t mean college, mind you. I enjoyed it, but I have no intention of making this victory lap of an editorial about how you should stay locked onto the teat of the best four years of your life. Rather, I’d like to take this otherwise empty space to encourage the appreciation of a wonderful town and the equally wonderful people who keep it moving.

Admittedly, I’ve disparaged Tuscaloosa on the grounds that no one has the right to get so excited over a Best Buy, and it is at times difficult to differentiate the city itself from the influx of 33,000 fresh faces each fall. Yet for every faceless dive bar and newly-opened chain restaurant, there are also a few good places that’ll teach you something about yourself and your environment. I won’t tell you where – finding them is half the fun – but in my mind, at least, they’re pretty clear to anyone with a good set of eyes.

And there’s a brewery coming! I cannot properly express how envious I am of those present for its opening. Druid City Brewing Company, my paycheck is yours.

I’m approaching 500 words, which, if I remember correctly, is the limit of a letter to the editor. As promised (or prophesied, as the case may be), this hasn’t gone much of anywhere, though I’d like to think we aren’t exactly where we started. I value my degree from The University of Alabama quite a bit, but I think in time I’ll begin to value Tuscaloosa even more. I’ve often debated whether it’s the place or the people that makes a town worth remembering. More specifically, I remember Tuscaloosa fondly because that’s where my friends were – or did Tuscaloosa play a larger role in creating the memories I fondly share with those lovely people?

I never come to a conclusion. Choosing one feels like discrediting the other, but at least I know I’ll always feel welcome. Enjoy your week, and Roll Tide, y’all

John Davis is the former Chief Copy Editor of The Crimson White.