Cruising past an endless queue of grain silos and harvested farmland in Middle America, leaving Boston in favor of a cross-country move never seemed more futile.
For the duration of that four-day drive, I found myself on the proverbial treadmill, asking, “Have I just abandoned a city full of friends and opportunities for a place where I had no foreseeable prospects?”
Technically, yes.
Empty rumination aside, however, I couldn’t deny a notion that had been lurking in the back of my mind and kept me from downright turning the car around:
“An open mind opens doors.”
I knew that by seeking out and committing to as many relationships and opportunities as possible, the law of averages almost mandates that something will end up a worthwhile endeavor – and my time at Salt Lake Community College and The Globe is proving to be just that.
From taking a news writing course to covering the Sundance Film Festival, from editing last-minute Globe submissions to preparing for the job as editor-in-chief, every benchmark of progress and experience has been the result of an impulsive desire to grow.
Now, just hours away from an SLCC-organized trip to India, an opportunity of a lifetime awaits.
With the guidance of Globe faculty advisor and journalism professor, Marcie Young Cancio, I have been tasked with following SLCC entrepreneurship students in India through comprehensive field reporting.
The chance to tell stories and relay experiences alongside the sensory overload that accompanies visiting an unfamiliar environment stands a tall order, but an exciting one at that.
In retrospect, all those “yesses” informed my decision to take on such a challenge. Less than a year ago I couldn’t have envisioned a trip to India, and now I have the chance to travel through and document one of the most culturally diverse, economically robust nations in the world.
A charge to anyone who is reading this: commit to opportunities that push your comfort zone and you might find yourself doing things you never thought of.
