In 2012, I met a group of nursing students from Marshall in Tegucigalpa, Honduras during my first trip to Honduras, a place that changed the course of my life After meeting familiar faces in a strange place that I came to love, I told myself that I would attend Marshall as a nursing student so I could go to Honduras.

I soon realized that I would make a terrible nurse, but after attending Green and White Day I found a new path.

During my junior year of high school, I visited Marshall for a Green and White Day. During the tour of the J-school, I found myself in the newsroom flipping through old copies of the paper. I left the building with a newfound sense of belonging as I washed my newspaper ink-covered hands. I would have never imagined that I would be the Executive Editor of The Parthenon. 

I came to Huntington with no expectations. Coming from Paden City, West Virginia, I never expected to feel at home in a larger city and I never would have thought I would meet a gaggle of friends who have become my family.

Huntington has become my second home. Franklin and I were driving around downtown before print night on Tuesday reminiscing on our friendship and our careers at The Parthenon. Franklin and I met during our First Year Seminar class. I am glad to call him my best and first friend. Having him as my sidekick this semester has been the best. I am going to be “Frank” for a second, but I am thankful to have found the greatest friend, sidekick and workplace proximity associate. 

Throughout my tenure at Marshall, I waited for this day, but now that it is 10 days away, I am filled with nervousness. Excitement outweighs the nerves, but anxiety is definitely there.

As I design the last cover page and I write this silly goodbye, I think about all the good things that happened here. My pap has always told me that school is the best time of your life and I can see that he is right. 

My experience can all be summed up with the quote from the best fictional character, Leslie Knope, “There’s nothing we can’t do if we work hard, never sleep, and shrink all other responsibilities in our lives.”

Six years have passed since I first met that group of nursing students. Although nursing was not my path, serving in Honduras is and come February  I will be living with the best group of boys.  

Sadie Helmick can be contacted at [email protected].