Amidst throngs (seriously, THRONGS) of screaming fans, giant Mao-esque posters of Lauren’s face, and a whoole lot of camera flashes, team SDTC took to the Masonic Temple for the Lauren Conrad Send Off. Looking appropriately doe-eyed, and wearing a covetable leather mini, LC perched pretty surrounded by her crowd of disciples. It was like spending an hour in an alternate universe, where MTV was Times Square and Lauren Conrad was the only thing for sale.

For her part, she handled the endless montages capturing her at her most beat-down (watching a film reel dedicated to making your ex-boyfriend look like a skeeze bag in front of 90 million strangers without throwing up? Props.) like a boss, and kept her composure despite the hordes of fans screaming like their highlights were on fire. Jessi (GIRL CRUSH!) was wearing an awesome geometric multicoloured zipper-dress, designed by the winner of Project Aftershow, and Dan Levy was dapper as ever. But who cares? What about the DRAMA?

Honesty box? There wasn’t much-but it was okay. Lauren’s departure was more heartfelt than high-drama, and she seemed genuinely touched by the outpourings of fan-love. Lauren definitely seems like the calm in the eye of the storm, maintaining an air of grounded togetherness despite the fact that she’s spent the last half-decade turning her existence into a lifetime movie for people who guzzle Starbucks instead of Peach Schnapps.

To dedicated fans, this is truly the end of an era. Like when Heidi went wack-job (and nose job, and boob job, and…), TV is losing a confident, together young woman. Scoff if you must, but LC, at the ripe old age of 23, is a pretty excellent role model-committed to her job and her education on camera, and keeping it pretty classy off. And so, we shed some mascara-coated tears for this California girl, or, in the screeched words of one…enthusiastic MTV spectator, following an emotional ‘Goodbye, Lauren’ tribute, "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING LAUREEEEEN!"