Looking back, I’m not sure what I was thinking.

Picking up and moving 425 miles to a different state, to a town 283 miles from home where I did not know anyone. A complete reset.

But in the middle of a health scare, not yet certain what I was going to do with my life, I decided to take the leap of faith.

That turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.

And now, as our last issue prints and I hand the baton off to Emily DeCock, there are a few people I would like to thank and memories I would like to relive.

First, the opportunities this job has brought me have been incredible.

One of the first stories I covered as a reporter for The Collegian was when the Twins Caravan came to town. As a sophomore in college, interviewing major league players, such as Ryan Jeffers and South Dakota State University alum Caleb Thielbar, and Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Oliva was an incredible opportunity.

The event also gave me my first taste of breaking news, as Thielbar announced the Jackrabbit football team would play Drake University at Target Field the following season.

The next year, after nearly the entire Collegian staff moved on, incoming Editor-in-Chief Greta Goede selected me as her managing editor.

It is a much different world going from covering sports as a reporter to managing a team daily. But the lessons I learned last year and this year will pay dividends throughout my life and career.

That year also offered many other great experiences, from covering the aforementioned football game in the Twin Cities to sleeping on Sports Editor Marshall Minihan’s couch before driving 13 hours to Frisco, Texas, to cover the second of two national championship wins, as well as covering the NCAA Tournament matchup between SDSU and Iowa State University in Omaha, Nebraska.

While many stories come from those trips, I am unsure if I have the space or the talent to do them justice with just typed words, but the memories will stick with me for many years.

Then came this year.

From start to finish, the most rewarding year of my career.

Beginning last year, assembling the staff for both The Collegian and KSDJ, all the way up to this final issue and helping Emily construct the future of our organization, the experiences and memories will be unmatched forever.

Earning (what we think is) SDSU’s first Eric Sevareid Award of Merit and Upper Midwest Student Production Awards, and being named one of two recipients (along with Zach Simon) of the Mary Arnold Student Leadership Award were two highlights of the year. (I suppose the Marshy’s “Sheriff Award” is up there too.)

Now, for the thanks.

Thank you to everyone who has allowed me to chase my career, especially my family. I know times can get tough, but I am truly thankful you always had my back.

Also, thank you to the people in the School of Communication and Journalism (COJO). From Erica Quam, the first person I talked to when I was looking at transferring; Frank Robertson, for answering questions about photography; Heather Solberg, for teaching our advertising staff; Marina Hendriks, always available for legal and ethical advice; Josh Westwick, who has always supported student media; Brian Stemwedel, the adviser for KSDJ; Rocky Dailey, who helped us launch the Collegian Report; and of course, Jim Helland, the adviser for the newspaper.

We have a great journalism school, and we at student media are proud to be a part of it.

Also, thank you to the students who have helped along the way. I cannot even begin to name everyone I want to, but please know you made a difference.

And especially, my staff this year: Ben Anderson, Emily Attrill, Brindy Bolander, Jacob Brende, Claire Booth, Ryann Davis, Natalie Dean, Emily DeCock, Paige Figland, Brady Knight, Shelby Lang, Andrew Lewno, Jack McCarty, Emma Mernaugh, Maddie Murphy, Allex Murray, Danielle Nowell, Jordan Raddatz, Jordan Roemeling, Zach Simon, Cassidy Strommen, Taylor Tennant, Cordell Vitense, Ean Wetzel, Matt Wieberdink and Annie Witt.

I will never forget this group, especially all the production nights where we had more fun than we did work (even that one time, some of us were there until 4 a.m.).

So, looking back, I’m not sure what I was thinking.

But I think I made the right decision.