Spartan staff members take a walk through central park in between sessions at the College Media Association Convention in New York City. 

Castleton is a small town. It’s one stop light and dirt sidewalks can make it easy to get swept up in the quaint feel and tradition of Vermont living.

            New York City is a completely different world. Our Spartan staff went to our annual journalism conference in New York City last weekend, and it was so amazing to see how different people live just a few short hours away.

            Our hotel was huge. Times Square was a stone’s throw away. The culture and bustle were things I am simply not used to growing up in Vermont, but it provided some perspective.

            Of course, the conference was very beneficial to my future career as a journalist, but I love the fact that it’s in the city.

It allows all of us from small town Vermont to see what other places are like. Students and advisors gather from all over the country to share our differences and show each other our work from our individual colleges.

            Being a senior, this year’s conference was a different experience for me. Last year, I felt like a ShamWow soaking up all the information I could.

This year, I was basically in denial the whole time.

            The conference is hosted by the College Media Association, so naturally it’s tailored to college newspapers.

I found myself craving information on how to be a journalist in the real world, because unfortunately for me, the real world is coming up fast in the next few months.

It’s unavoidable.

Help me.

            It’s weird, because I found myself nostalgic throughout the weekend. I enjoyed watching all of the younger staff members get all the information they could.

            We all sat down for a critique of our paper with an advisor from another school, and I sat there and watched as the editors for next year eagerly wrote down all of the suggestions to make the paper better.

            I heard all of the things they learned, and I stood back to listen to their favorite parts. My little babies are growing up, and I’m moving on to hopefully bigger and better things.

            Things like the conference make me grateful for where I come from. Vermont being so traditional and quiet really makes me appreciate the city, and it confirms the fact that I need something more in my life than staying here forever.

            Nothing can replace my time in college working on this paper, and I know I will look back on my time here with nothing but gratitude and love.