There is nothing more fascinating to me than getting wrapped up in a story. Whether it’s a heart-racing box office thriller that grips every nerve, or the spectacle of fantasy offered in books only accessible through novels and dreams. I couldn’t help but fall for the idea that all of these stories could provide worlds beyond my imagination. It was this idea that sparked my interest in writing and drew me towards the Massachusetts Daily Collegian my freshman year, where I too hoped to find my own grand narrative to live through.

Having gone from a small high school to one of the largest campuses in the state, I had my expectations set high. If there was any place where something great was going to happen, it would be here. I soon came to learn just how difficult finding myself, and a community, in a place this big would really be. I spent my time wondering if there would ever be something momentous that was going to happen that was going to change this isolation that I was carrying with me during most of my early years at the University of Massachusetts. Though, if anything, all it did was make me passive.

Working as a social media assistant, I’ve seen it all in terms of content, from breaking news stories to profiles to even satire. For my position, my main goal was to make sure that these showcased all their brilliance to the outside world and grabbed the audiences in to read these works. I was constantly surrounded by the works of others, but I was detached from them, stuck staring at them through a glassy partition. Yet when I finally took the time to  read them, beyond the headlines, I relearned an important lesson:

A story does not exist as its biggest moment.

Undeniably, there will be something that truly strikes something deep inside you and resonates long after the experience is over, a big one for me being my position as co-head of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. We were able to build up from the work of those before us and create something for the future of Collegian. Likewise, for every revelation comes the thousands of tiny moments that came before it — an interconnected web of small decisions, ideas and motives that hold together the very concept of a strong narrative together. None of this could be more evident than in the work of my peers, who have more than inspired me to pursue my own stories and reflect on the little appreciations that I have often taken for granted.

The morning sun spilled between the cracks of the windows shades while typing away at the day’s posts. The little bits of lore gathered from interactions with friends and strangers alike. The variations in voices and perspectives that come from the differences in backgrounds, interests and mentalities. Those times when work could, and should’ve, been done but was spent effortlessly cycling through conversations like the hands of a clock. And the bittersweet realization there is a final chapter to every good story.

But a good story is only as great as its cast, and I’ve been lucky to have such an amazing one standing with me. So thank you to:

Vera Gold, for your incredible dedication to keeping the socials section pristine and running. Aaron Facundo for tirelessly working beside me in our DEI efforts. Mahidhar Sai Lakkavaram and Srija Nagireddy for never letting there be a dull moment in or outside the office. And for everyone who has made my time here more than extraordinary.

There is no doubt in my mind this will not be my last story — far from it. What it’ll look like is beyond me, but whatever it is, I know that I can look forward to a new, diverse experience. Small things and all.

Jarius Kidd was the DEI coordinator and an assistant social media editor. He can be reached at [email protected]and followed on Twitter @jk_types.