As of this past week, I’ve officially been working at The News for over a year.

Time flies when you’re having fun — or time flies when you’re constantly busy and trying to put out a paper each day.

Either way, the year definitely went by quickly, but I’ve enjoyed my time here and look forward to what’s to come.

Being that this is my first career job after my college graduation, I’ve been learning a lot about a lot. I’ve been learning more about the industry as I finally get the hands-on and real-world experience that college can’t quite convey.

I’ve noticed that I have become a did-you-see girl, as in I find myself beginning more conversations that lead with “Did you see …?,” followed by whatever relevant piece of news fits with the situation or the person I’m talking to.

It’s given me a unique perspective on a lot of things and has expanded my way of thinking.

Working at The News, I’m catching a glimpse of different topics and conversations that I didn’t pay enough attention to before.

I know more about politics than I ever have. I’ve become more aware of my community and what’s going on in it. I notice the formation of trends and how they play a part in our lives.

Even scrolling through social media has changed for me, as I notice my eyes will catch on words they didn’t before. Like maybe I used to scroll past certain posts, but, now, depending on the headline, I find myself gravitating toward it in a search for more information. Click-bait at its finest, I suppose.

I enjoy starting conversations on trending or new topics. I appreciate knowing what others are seeing of that subject and how they are interpreting it.

I’ve also been more aware of sports lately, which my dad says makes him proud. He enjoys that, when he engages in a conversation about baseball, I have something to say, just based on what I’ve seen and put into the paper. He likes that, when he’s watching a NASCAR race, I’ll ask him questions about this or that, based on whatever articles have been brought to my attention.

More than just starting conversations, The News and working in my position has also taught me a lot about myself and how to prosper at my job. It’s shown me what I am capable of, where certain boundaries are, and when to ask for help when the to-do lists get a bit too long.

I’ve learned a lot about strategizing and organizing. Each day, we put out a paper that we want our audience to enjoy and learn from, which requires work on our part. We plan out what events and topics we are going to cover, doing our best to not miss anything.

Patience is another thing I continue to work on, with myself and with others. I enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, not taking a lot of time in between tasks, but I realize that, sometimes, patience is a good thing, in that it can help keep you sane.

Sure, I knew those things before. But being put into that environment and seeing challenges firsthand puts a new light on those things. Sometimes, it even makes you appreciate them more.

I guess I see being in this role as a door being opened up to me and a world to learn about behind it.

I suppose many things in our lives can open up those doors, whether it is a new job, a new community, meeting new people, trying a new task, or even something as small as going to an event that you wouldn’t normally attend.

I’m grateful for this door, this job, this community. I’m excited to see what else it holds. But I’m also excited to see what doors are ahead of me and what they’ll offer and teach.

All that being said, I’d like to say thank you to my coworkers and the community for welcoming me in a year ago, and thank you to the readers who support us here at The News as we do what we love and put together a publication to be proud of.

And a special thank you to those who read my stories and columns. It means a lot that you care about the content I share and about what I have to say.

Torianna Marasco can be reached at 989-358-5686 or tmarasco@thealpenanews.com.