I never expected I’d ever be in charge of putting together this Maroon Life magazine, but due to extenuating circumstances, I found myself in that situation midway through the summer of 2022. At first, it quickly became one of the most stressful scenarios I’ve ever found myself in during my career as a journalist.

I was so preoccupied with the feeling that I had to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders that I forgot to turn to those around me for help. Once I finally did, and I began to collaborate with those in my circle, that’s when I discovered the magic of the community I had built around me.

Thanks are in order to the talented Robert O’Brien who did the impossible task of keeping me grounded. As I felt myself flying off the rails, he managed to realign me right in time. I was focused on the idea that I couldn’t finish this by myself, but he reminded me that I didn’t have to.

He and the talented tag team of Cameron Johnson and Ishika Samant made this magazine look as beautiful as it does. They managed to turn dreams, brainstorms and silly ideas into realities that are better than I could have done with infinitely more time.

Furthermore, the contents of this magazine would never have been possible without the diligent efforts and flexible cooperation of the amazing sports desk staff. I was able to count on Grant Gaspard to step up in a new role and help relieve some of the stress that weighed me down. I saw Zoe May and Luke White change their courses of action multiple times as we navigated rocky roads. I was able to trust Brad Bennett to be Mr. Reliable as he easily handled the tasks at hand. And, I was able to watch as Neomi Brown and Shanielle Veazie stepped up and took on challenges they had never faced before.

Kathryn Miller was there to help guide me along the way and keep me in check, while Michaela Rush acted as someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to hear my struggles and someone to count on to embrace a new role with a new desk when called to action.

And lastly, my deepest appreciation goes out to Casey Stavenhagen who, despite not being able to be a part of this product, was instrumental in the process. I was taken under the wing, I was taught, listened to, believed in and given an opportunity for a job I never thought I’d want or be able to handle.

I learned through the process of creating this magazine what can be achieved when a group of people comes together to focus on a common goal. I will never take for granted what a strong community of people around me can achieve. I will also never take a magazine, newspaper or any piece of content for granted again, because I never know how much energy, stress and emotion may be poured into it. This edition of Maroon Life took a village to create, and learning to trust it made all the difference.