Today the Student LoanDown blog celebrates its first anniversary!

A year ago, I wasn’t sure if we’d reach this milestone. I strongly believed in our blog and its mission, but I was concerned that a Wells Fargo blog about education financing and debt management might not be embraced by students, parents, or the blogosphere. After all, these aren’t the sexiest of topics.

Well, here we are, more than 150 posts and countless exchanges later, still going strong. We don’t always hit the mark, and we certainly don’t always agree — but at least we’re talking.

Now the traditional first anniversary gift  is paper, one of my many addictions (seriously, ask Barbara or Caroline what happens when I approach a Hallmark®  store). But we’re not expecting any presents to commemorate this occasion. Rather, we want you to know that your presence is our gift. And as we move into our second year, we hope you’ll continue to come to the party, offer your insights, and push us to discuss the tough topics.

Congratulations — this first anniversary is just as much yours as it is ours.