Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

College is hard — not just in the way that classes are hard but also meeting new people, figuring out how to coexist with a roommate and, yes, also maintaining a GPA that can go on an internship application. In the process of doing all of that, it is so easy to forget what you liked about your major or university in the first place.

When joining The Collegian last fall as a sophomore, I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do. I was in the middle of college, feeling overwhelmed by both the difficulty and expenses and not feeling very inspired. I knew I needed to do some kind of job relating to journalism for my major, mainly to gain experience for future jobs and also to see if I even liked the degree I was working toward.

I interviewed for almost every position, including editor and reporter jobs for the arts and entertainment desk; life and culture desk; and opinion desk, all with the hope that one of them would stand out to me.

My first few assignments were articles for the life and culture desk reviewing a local brewery’s Oktoberfest. I was a wreck, to sum it up. I had the wrong address, and when I got to the correct address, all of my interview questions suddenly sounded dumb and incomplete. But I did it, got through it, went home and took two days to write a very simple article for the fear of turning in something bad to my editor.

I wrote a few more articles, and while I had begun to push myself in my writing for the first time in a long time, I still didn’t feel inspired. I talked to my editor for the arts and entertainment desk asking if I could report on one of my favorite Australian bands coming to play at The Aggie Theatre. When she gave me the go-ahead, one of the photo directors, Milo Gladstein, offered to come and help me photograph it as well. 

After the show and interviews were completed, Gladstein dropped me off at home, and I walked into my house and immediately began to write. Something I had been lacking for more than a year finally came back in one giant wave. 

I never felt more inspired to write, more creative with a camera or more independent both as a photographer and a writer. After that, I began to focus on covering the live music scene in Fort Collins. I got the amazing opportunity to photograph and interview Odie Leigh as well as cover the two-day local music festival FoCoMX. 

Through Gladstein, I was able to learn so much about creative style within concert photography and the logistics of setting up a photoshoot and interview, and I pushed myself as a writer to put perfect moments of music into hard-copy paragraphs. I felt support from my editors and fellow coworkers that was unlike anything else.

The Collegian, for me, uncomplicated all of my classes and gave them all a central focus. I have grown to love Fort Collins for its art and creativity and, more specifically, for its local music scene. I have found a community that is accepting and eager to listen and learn while also sharing each individualized aspect of their own creativity.

This year, I am taking on a new role as the editor for the arts and entertainment desk and could truly not be more excited. I love this desk for all its diverse perspectives and the way people all across Fort Collins express themselves creatively.

College is hard. Joining The Collegian has made my experience — so far — the most rewarding and motivating, and it has made the hard parts well worth it.

Reach Ruby Secrest at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.