A disclaimer: I'm not taking a potshot at anyone.
It's more of a profound realization I had on April 6 while at Ideastream Public Media. During the 6 p.m. hour that evening, The Pulse – a show from the Public Radio Exchange – talked about work-life balance and so much more that I'll skip for brevity.
By the time this column is released, it will be just over six whole months since I last worked as a full-time reporter at a local newspaper.
And a half a year later, I don't think I've ever felt more at peace than at any prior point in my whole life.
This all stems from my time working and studying across high school, college and professionally. My parents always preached this: Academics come first, and athletics are a bonus.
For the longest time, I was always obsessed with doing my best academically. It may have been taking things a little too literal at times until midway through college, but it goes beyond that.
As I transitioned from college to the working world, it wasn't quite so easy to look for work.
It was the summer of 2021, and fall was fast approaching. I managed to graduate from Kent State with my bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in sports administration DEBT FREE!
For the first time in my entire life, the weight of academics had been lifted off my shoulders. Now, I needed to look for a job.
About a month before I was interviewed and hired as a full-time reporter, I learned that my high school sports and streaming feature with 89.7 WKSU (now merged into WKSU Ideastream Public Media) won a first place award from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists Best Sports Reporting in Radio contest.
Who else can say they were already an award-winning journalist before they were hired for their first full-time job?
The irony is my voice – which I used to do that piece – was non-existent due to a random virus as I sat in the car waiting to take a COVID-19 Test.
I learned a lot over my three years in print media, but the cost – be it self-imposed or the nature of the beast – took a massive toll on all parts of my health.
If it weren't for the communities I connected with, met so many amazing people, and I'll hold myself to my promise of continuing to cover them when able, I'm not sure what life would have looked like.
These last six months have given me more days filled with contentment, fulfillment, and perhaps biggest of all – rarely feeling stressed 24/7 like in the past.
Sometimes, the game of life isn't fair, nor is it kind.
In this instance, it was for the better in several aspects of my life. My health and wellness have all massively rebounded, and I've gained a confidence I don't want to give up.
I believe I would have been stuck without life intervening, and sometimes, one change can make a world of difference.
