Even though I am not a senior on paper, this is my final semester working for the student media, and I only have one semester in person after spring 2026. Writing these words is hard to believe, because it feels like just yesterday, I came to Averett and Danville, Va.
My first couple of weeks were amazing. The sun was shining, I was meeting so many new people, and I felt like I was having a real authentic experience. Not only did it match my expectations, but it exceeded them. Then there were three games a week, and then I had to balance that with assignments, and 8.a.m. classes. It started to get a little overwhelming in all honesty. All of a sudden, the season was done, then its thanksgiving, then finals and now I am on my flight home. That is how most semesters felt, they have gone by so slow, but before I can process what’s been going on, the semester is all wrapped up.
Because of this, it is not until I was given this task that I have taken the time to look back and appreciate how lucky and privileged I have been. I have gone from a small town in Norway, to see some of the most stunning places the world has to offer, with some of the best people I have known.
I have shed light on the mundane and the highs, but not the lows. In all honesty, there has barely been any. There have been some losses with the soccer team, but those things are a part of life. The closest thing I have been to a real low was my knee injury that required surgery, but even so, it gave me exactly what I needed.
The injury meant that I could focus on school, but I could also take up broadcasting. If there is anything that shows my growth, and how happy I am about my growth, it’s my broadcasting abilities.
I was thrown into the deep end in the fall of 2024, and I was nervous, choking up words, using more words than necessary, and lacking any conviction. I may not be perfect now, but I am a lot more calm, relaxed, confident, and mature in the way I do it. I have found out what phrases to use, how to pronounce names, what stats to focus on, and what kind of notes works best for me.
These are the things that symbolize my growth. It’s the small things that make the bigger things big. If you haven’t picked up on it by now, I am not only referring to my broadcasting abilities, it’s also who I am and what I do away from the university. I am far from perfect, but I am happy and grateful I have been able to share it with the people here.
In eight months’ time I will be done at Averett. I do now know what my next chapter beholds, but I know that this one might have been the best one yet.
