“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” –Robert Louis Stevenson
I knew this day would come eventually. Moving into the dorms in the fall of 2014, the year 2018 seemed like a lifetime away. Yet, everyone I met and those who’d gone through college said these would be the fastest four years of your life. They were so right.
I remember that humid August day like yesterday. Dad drove the family’s 1997 Ford Expedition the hour and a half to Ames, packed with way more things than I needed. The same vehicle, my parents bought brand new when I was two years old, took us on family vacations to Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, and visits to family across the country. That day, however, the tan, rusting out vehicle was moving me from Hillcrest Farms to a 14′ x 12′ dorm room in Ames, Iowa.
I missed the farm. That first semester was the toughest but I wasn’t about to leave my dream school. I knew Danni, who would be my roommate for what we decided as the next four years, and we helped one another with the homesickness. We were equally an hour and a half from home, then what seemed like a forever trip.
The more time I spent in Ames, though, the more I grew past the missing farm part as I found I could make my way home whenever I needed farm fresh air or a sloppy puppy kiss. I started to fall in love with campus, clubs, my friends, internships, and after much persistence from him, Ross too.
The people are what for an adventure at Iowa State University. The friends who keep you up all night to study or a simple heart to heart and the professionals who believe in you and push you towards success.
I can’t reminisce on my last four years without touching on my one of a kind internship experiences and the lifelong mentors who’ve helped mold me into the Emma Wilson today. From published pieces and growing my network of industry professionals, internships gave me so much more than college classes could really offer.
From my start at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, to Prairie Rivers of Iowa, the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, to the ISU CALS Communication Office, I’ve found a friend or mentor at every place teaching me and pushing me to become better in every aspect of ag journalism. I’ll keep my memories close of traveling the state of Iowa, meeting and networking with so many consumers, industry professionals, and farm families so near and dear to my heart.
As I wrapped up my very last internship today, I’m going to miss the Successful Farming team who have opened countless doors for me. They’ve shaped me into a better writer and professional, giving me the courage to chase my dreams. Caring so much about my own success, they kept me on as their apprentice when I didn’t have a full-time position. Their advice and endless opportunities to publish pieces of work has awarded me the confidence and renewed my love of working with and for farm families. For any student longing to become an exceptional agricultural journalist, Successful Farming is the place to learn from the best! Check out my time and work at SF here.
For the last few weeks, I’ve been packing up my apartment I’ve called home for the past three years to open another unknown chapter. Books, photos, all memories of an incredible four years that went by in the blink of an eye.
I’ll genuinely miss Ames, my friends, the constant fun atmosphere, my mentors, and so many more things. But I also know that by the seeds I’ve planted these past years, I’ll continue to learn and reap harvests far more than I deserve.
As for now? My love for agriculture and appreciation for writing continues as the publications manager at the Iowa Corn Growers Association as well as I’m excited to see where freelancing opportunities take me. Stayed tuned for the next chapter!
A sincere thank you to my mentors, friends, farmers, and most of all my family for being my biggest supporters. Thank you for pushing me to succeed and believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.
Homesteading the Soul 