I’ve had four different majors in the last two years.

I initially started my college career as an English major but switched to vocal performance before the school year even started. About a week into my freshman year I switched to theater and the following semester I finally landed on journalism.

In hindsight, journalism seems like the natural choice because I’ve always loved writing, the news and have a close family friend who is a professional journalist for a national newspaper. If you’re reading this, hi Mr. Blake!

Sometimes though, I’m blind as a bat to what’s in front of me.

I also started my college career at a completely different school, a small private university in Minnesota. I quickly learned that university wasn’t for me and transferred to Iowa State in January of 2020, halfway through my sophomore year.

Had I known all hell was going to break loose halfway through the semester, perhaps I wouldn’t have transferred. Or maybe I would have. I don’t know, I’m obviously indecisive.

Whether it be by logic and desire or by a stroke of dumb luck, I ended up at Iowa State for the craziest semester ever.

Of my nearly 10 months as a Cyclone, I have been on campus for two of them. So that’s fun.

I have some health conditions that make me very high risk for COVID-19 so I’ve been basically locked away in my house with minimal human contact. Sort of like Rapunzel except for six months instead of 18 years and minus the psycho evil witch mother.

Through all of this, the constant in my life has been my writing and my time at the Iowa State Daily.

I started off as a reporter as soon as I transferred, then applied to be an editor for fall 2020. Knowing I was a newbie, the one thing I absolutely didn’t expect was actually getting the job … in the middle of a global pandemic. No pressure, right?

Thanks, Sage.

No but seriously, thank you. Without your faith in me I wouldn’t have the family I have today. Even though I’m locked away in my tower, I get to do what I love with the people I love.

This year has really shown me what journalism is and how important it is that our society has good journalists dedicated to finding the truth and holding people accountable.

As the news editor of student life, I do what I love and I love what I do. I’m so grateful for the family we have become in a few short months.