I can vividly remember my first day walking into the newsroom like it was just yesterday. It was the first week of my junior year when an editor directly messaged me on Twitter wondering if I’d be interested in joining the sports section.
I remember walking in being so excited, full of so many ideas for coverage I wanted to do on SDSU sports teams. I had big dreams of becoming a sideline reporter one day (and still do), and walked into the newsroom dreaming about standing on the sidelines of SDSU to tell the stories of our student-athletes. Aside from all of the excitement, I was so incredibly scared of if I would even be good enough.
Flash forward to now, I walk away having written 42 stories, created several sports video packages, learned how to host the live broadcast, covered a variety of teams from men’s and women’s soccer, softball, hockey, football and basketball, covered two Mountain West Conference basketball tournaments and finished with a trip to Indianapolis to cover the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
I could go on forever about the amazing experiences The Daily Aztec has provided me, and the incredible opportunities it has brought my way, but that surprisingly isn’t the most important part.
The most special part of The Daily Aztec is the indescribable family and lifelong friends it has provided me. I was lucky enough to be a part of several organizations throughout my college experience that are all very special to me, including Kappa Delta Sorority and the SDSU Cheer team.
Through all the amazing friends I’ve made along the way, nothing feels more like home to me than the newsroom.
As student journalists, we understand each other like no other. We practically see each other every day whether it’s our JMS classes or meetings in the newsroom, we understand the pressure of meeting a deadline, we’re always dropping story ideas and bouncing ideas off of each other. Best of all, in the sports section, we’re constantly arguing about who’s favorite sports teams are better! And don’t even get me started on the competitiveness of our Fantasy Football league.
I wish my time here at The Daily Aztec with these amazing people could last forever, but as they say, all good things must come to an end. It’s not an end to this group, but rather just the beginning as so many of us get ready to take the next steps in life. I have no doubts that each person in this graduating group will go on to do incredible things.
I’ve never been more inspired by a group of people. This group of seniors dealt with an unusual virtual online year due to the pandemic, but still came out and produced incredible content every single week.
As I walk away from the Mesa, I leave with such a full heart from being able to tell the stories that mattered the most.
I’ll never forget the freezing cold nights on the SDSU Sports Deck covering soccer games, sitting in Viejas Arena to cover basketball games with 12,000 fans screaming “I Believe,” or sitting on media row at the NCAA Tournament looking down at a fancy credential with my name on it. These memories will forever be some of the greatest of my life.
I can’t wait to forever support the student newspaper that made me into the journalist I am today. I’m a better person because of knowing you all, and I am forever grateful.
