It feels like it was just yesterday I was introducing myself to you all and now it is time for me to say goodbye. My internship has come to an end and I am both excited to get a month off before returning to school and sad to have to leave behind the Free Press, my wonderful editor Graham, publisher Brandy and all you awesome people who have entrusted me with your stories.
This summer has been a blast both in my work and personally. With the Free Press I was able to meet so many Drayton Valley locals who I never would have got the chance to meet otherwise. I also got to spend two weeks in Drayton Valley with my family this summer, get outdoors with them and was able to write two columns on some great Drayton Valley outdoor activities. I also really enjoyed building relationships with the mayor and some councillors as I was able to talk to them numerous times for different stories.
Personally, this summer has also been a ton of fun. I spent almost every weekend camping with my boyfriend and spent multiple evenings with him hiking through Fish Creek Park here in Calgary. We took many road trips to the great Rocky Mountains and even did a little fishing. Probably the highlight of my summer though was when my best friend gave birth a couple of weeks ago to my amazing godson.
For the rest of the summer I am planning on taking a road trip up north to the Dawson Creek area with my mom, to spend some time on the family farm. I also hope to do a ton more camping and just have a few weeks of relaxation before diving into my final year of school. I know this school year is going to be busy so the month off before it starts will be appreciated.
After graduation next year I really have no idea where I’m headed yet. Because of this summer and all you amazing people I know journalism is certainly what I hope to do but where I go with that is still a mystery. My plan is to just throw a bunch of resumes out and see what happens. Ideally I would love to end up in a large city like Vancouver or Toronto or possibly even go out of the country to somewhere like New York or Los Angeles. I did spend a week in Europe in high school as well and absolutely loved it so I wouldn’t even mind crossing the pond. Something I have learned in my years at university though is life never goes the way you plan it so I’m just going to see where life takes me.
I’m sure I’ll be back a little bit over the next year to spend some time with my parents so if you see me out and about don’t be afraid to say hello. This summer has taught me so many things both in my writing, thanks to helpful tips from my editor and in my personal life, thanks to many of your stories. Thank you Drayton Valley and area for the great experience you all helped give me this summer, I will definitely be headed into my next adventure with all of you in mind.
