Hey guys! I know we are only halfway through June but I have spent a lot of time outside and going on some adventures near and far. The weather has been beautiful and I have been taking full advantage.
One of my goals for this summer was to be outside more and I’m definitely accomplishing that.
I wanted to share some of my favorite spots so far. If you are looking for walking destinations or hiking spots this could be a helpful guide for you. If you have some favorite spots to walk or hike, drop them below. I’m always looking for new places.
Here’s a recap of some of my favorite adventures so far…
Geneva State Park in Geneva, Ohio is beautiful. I love the dirt and paved trails. There’s also beaches near by which is perfect for a day long adventure. I travelled there in May and had the best time…just make sure you stay hydrated. This was one of the creeks I found on the hike, it was a perfect tucked away spot. Sticking closer to home. There’s a few paved walkways down by the Bayfront in Downtown Erie. I love this view overlooking the Bay and there’s a number of downtown spots for a coffee or meal too!I love the paved trails at Presque Isle, but I also love some of the dirt one by the wetlands. They are definitely hidden gems in an already beautiful spot.Another little trail that leads to water at Presque Isle. I love how the land meets the water here!And after all the hiking and walking, there’s nothing better than a hot dog and an ice cream on the beach…yum!Summer is just gettin started by I’m already enjoying some summer bonfires. It’s the perfect way to end the night.
My summer has been off to a great start so far and the best part is the season just officially kicked off! I’ll be sharing all my summer bucket list items on an Instagram story so make sure you are following along.
Where are your favorite places to head outside to???
I hope your week and year is off to a great start! Now, that the holidays have calmed down, I wanted to reflect on my first year as a reporter. I did a recap in the summer about what I have learned 6 months in. You can read all about it here. In the past 6 months, I have learned even more. Every day I continue to grow and learn and get stronger in my skills as a reporter. I try to learn something new, I know not every day will be a slam dunk story, but I always try to take something away from it, whether it is a new editing skill, a better way to write something, or different way to be creative with my storytelling.
It’s always fun getting to share stories that are important to me
I have loved to tell people’s stories in my own hometown. From big to small stories, whether it was an event going on, like a toy distribution for Christmas, talking to local businesses about struggles of the past year, covering historic events like the first Covid-19 vaccines arriving in Erie, following the election, and everything in between. I have travelled to other states, neighboring counties or even just down the street to talk to people about their lives.
I also have got more opportunities at work too. I have been able to fill in and anchor some of our shows. It’s something I have dream about doing for a long time and the fact I am anchoring them and producing them on my own is a huge accomplishment for me. I have covered for different shifts during the holidays, helped out to make sure things go smoothly and worked more on my craft through the year. I also love getting to work on our digital team and learn more about the art of producing and stacking shows, both skills that are helpful for anchoring.
Working the anchor desk on Christmas
When looking back on these past 12 months, I have learned a lot about the job, but some of my best memories are of conversations with co-workers or laughs when I was preparing for a story, from early more shifts, to late nights, working weekends or holidays when no one is there or when it’s all hands on deck. It has been a year of change and excitement. I have truly learned that it’s the people that make any job worthwhile. I am so lucky that I have such great and supportive co-workers and mentors to learn from every day. Especially working long days and hours, it helps to have co-workers that make the days go by fast.
In the middle of a live interview
I have worked long days and shifts, but I covered winter weather, tornado damage, breaking news, things reopening, things shutting down, back to school, new events and opportunities for the community, exciting and happy stories, and ones that break your heart. In the end, I love what I do. I love that I get to find stories and tell them, meet people and get their message out. It’s so special and surreal that I get the chance to give people the news.
Covering the presidential election
It’s also been too fun to have my family and friends watch me and send me pictures of it and supporting me. It’s such a humbling experience that I don’t take for granted.
Getting pictures from friends and family that watch me never gets old.
Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better first year in news, it truly was a monumental time to get, I can’t wait to learn more and grow and see where I am a year from now.
It’s been an incredible first year, let’s bring on year two!!!
