By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / News Intern

Last week, I completed a minor milestone in my life: My first year of college. With a couple of trunkfuls of belongings and memories, I loaded my parents’ cars and made the short trip home from Samford University to Chelsea.

My freshman year had been packed full with adventures. These ranged from simply learning to live more independently and make beautiful new friendships, to experiencing sorority recruitment and surviving two snowpocalypses and college finals.

God has taught me much through these adventures. Beyond the expected lessons of greater responsibility and diligence, I learned the importance of living for the present with the future in mind. I tried many new things. For the first time in my life I experienced a blob. I learned that I will never experience it again. However, I also learned the satisfaction of facing my fears and giving them the chance to flee. Life is too fleeting itself to forego what may be a worthwhile experience. Such adventures have strengthened me.

This week began a new adventure altogether. A Journalism and Mass Communication major, I began a more real-life study of journalism through an internship with the Shelby County Reporter. After a year of immense change and personal growth, I had anticipated the same from my summer duties. I knew that I would be faced with new experiences—experiences that would force me to go far beyond my comfort zone, and would serve to hone not only my journalism skills, but also my character.

So far these expectations have proven true. If journalism is the career that God desires me to work in some day, then I know that I will have obtained good, beneficial experiences and skills with the Shelby County Reporter.

My adventures here have been wonderful, and they have only just begun. I welcome the many challenges set before me.