Suffolk University, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Twin Falls, Idaho, Reporter, journalism, 2023

4 YEARS LATER

Dear Elizabeth, 

Today is a monumental day. 4 years ago today you graduated college with your bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, one of the most exciting and special days in your life. 

Now, it’s been 4 years. Which is crazy, because 4 years is the amount of time you were in college. So now, you’ve been out of college for the same amount of time that you were in college. WILD. 

I am so proud of you, Elizabeth. So proud of how much you have grown and how much you have changed, and become who you were meant to be. 

4 years of being in the real world, as they call it. 

I wish I could have told you how your life would go back then, but that would have ruined the fun of it. You also probably wouldn’t have believed it. 

Here is what I wish you could’ve known though. 

LIFE IS HARD: One month after graduating college you will move across the entire country by yourself. You will start a job in a town where you know no one and nothing. You will be alone, and sad, and sometimes really upset because you gave up your entire life for this job and no one seems to understand how hard it is, and how alone you feel. 

But here is the good news: Life is hard. But you can do hard things. You can, and you will. And you won’t give up, because that’s not who you are. Embrace the hard, embrace the sad days, and then get stronger, and more independent. Recognize that life is hard, because if you do that, you can get through the days. Life sucks sometimes, it really really does, but if you have a goal and a dream, the hard days won’t get in your way. 

A PANDEMIC WILL BEGIN 9 MONTHS AFTER YOU MOVE: Ah yes, the COVID-19 Pandemic that no one was prepared for. You’ll be forced to work from home for months on end, but still required to complete your news reporting duties, and be a person that the community can trust and rely on all from your one bedroom apartment. 

Some days you will wonder how you will get through it, and when the pandemic will end, if it ever will. If you thought you felt alone and isolated at your new home and new job before the pandemic, just wait a few months. 

YOU WILL ADOPT THE CUTEST DOG: Jackson will become the best part of your life. He will need a lot of structure and routine, because he was abandoned and left for dead, which is how he ended up at the shelter. But, with practice, he will become the best dog you ever had, and sometimes the only thing you could count on to make you smile at the end of the day. 

YOU WILL ALSO MEET A GREAT GUY NAMED TREVOR: Trevor and you will start dating and you will really enjoy getting to know him, and eventually you will move in together, and then buy a house. You will laugh, smile, cry, and he will become your best friend. The person who you love with all your heart, even through the hard times, which there will be. 

YOU WILL MOVE TO WEEKEND ANCHOR AND EVENTUALLY MORNING ANCHOR: Turns out, you will really come to like living and working in Twin Falls, Idaho. And, you will work hard and tell stories that matter to this community. You will see the difference that you make in this community, and you will care so much about it and the people here. Being a journalist is so hard, but to the people that live here, the stories you tell, they mean everything. When you move to the morning show, people in the community will come to know you, and actually enjoy your bubbly personality. 

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE: I mean, through the COVID pandemic, losing two grandparents and a dog, working every shift possible at the station (besides overnight), working from home, working from the station, training new people, moving to a new house. Life is just messy, and it’s hard, and it’s unpredictable. But you adapt, and you move forward with the circumstances presented to you in the best way you know how. 

YOU WILL BECOME A STRONG, INDEPENDENT PERSON: When you moved away from your home, you needed people. You couldn’t make a decision for yourself without other people’s opinions, and you never said no to anything. You believed you weren’t worthy of anything, and you had to prove that you were. You never advocated for yourself and what was best for you, because you just said yes to anything and everything, because you wanted to prove that you were a good journalist, and more than that a good person. 

Elizabeth, you are so brave, and so strong, and you don’t need anyone or anything to tell you that you are worthy or good enough. Not your job, or your boyfriend, or your family, or the general public, and especially not social media. 

You are worthy and you are enough because you are you. And you will make mistakes and you will mess up and you will cry and you will have hard days. 

But none of that makes you less important. You have nothing to prove to anyone. You are the best company in the world, (besides Jackson) 

You have to have confidence in yourself and believe that it doesn’t matter what the viewers think about your looks or how you talk or how curly your hair is. 

Over the past 4 years, your life will turn upside down and back again, but at the end of the day, you will become strong, brave, and independent. 

Elizabeth, it’s been 4 years since you graduated college and if you knew all of this then, you probably never would have taken that cross country drive to move here to Idaho. 

Life is about making choices. You make them, and you stick with them, and then you decide what to do next, and you choose to make the best of what happens. 

I can’t wait to see what the next 4 years hold for you, because if I know you, Elizabeth, it will be crazy! 

Love, Elizabeth. 

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Grammy, Idaho, Lisa, Mother, Mother's Day, Twin Falls

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s but especially to my mother, Lisa Joye Hadley.

Let me tell you about my mom. My mom is just the sweetest woman. She also has so much energy, and loves to go new places, try new things, and experience life! She also just loves her family so much, and is the biggest supporter of us all.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be a good parent. And the conclusion I have come to is to: be there. Be there when your child is having a good day, bad day, an off day, a sick day. Be there for them when they succeed but also when they fail. Be there for them for their sports games, their musicals, their dance recitals. Be there for them in the morning, and be there for them in the night.

My mom was always there. She was and still is the person who I know will always support me in my choices, and congratulate me on my accomplishments, and talk to me when I feel like I’ve failed.

A parents is a hard role to play, but I guarantee I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for my mother who always told me I could do whatever I put my mind to. No matter what I wanted to try, she let me try it, and she let me figure out for myself what I wanted to do and didn’t want to do.

I am very thankful for my mom. She never tried to force anything on me, she would guide me and help me decide what I wanted to do, but she never forced me to do anything, and that is so important.

I never really realized any of this until I moved across the entire country at the age of 22. I realized then that the only reason I was able to do that all on my own was because of her and my father. Because I knew that she believed in me, but I also knew that if I needed her, she would be there.

I am so thankful for my mom for letting me figure out who I am without her forcing me to be who she wanted me to be. My mom is the best, and I love her with all my heart.

There are very few people who I would fly across the country to surprise for their birthday, but she is one of them!

I can’t wait for more adventures and fun with you Mom, and I am so thankful for you for always being there, supporting me, and loving me through everything. You are the reason I am who I am, and I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. I love you so much Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!

I can’t wait to see Derek Hough again with you, as is our tradition!

(BTW, I will write one of these for my father on Father’s Day, because he also made me who I am today. I love you too Dad.)

Also, I would like to give a shoutout to my two grandmother’s my two aunt’s and all the other Mom’s in the world who are raising the next generation to be good, kind people who can think for themselves and make this world a better place. Where would we be without Mom’s?

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Jackson, National Puppy Day, Twin Falls

Happy National Puppy Day, Jackson!

I heard that today was National Puppy Day, and I can’t miss an opportunity to share about my dog Jackson.

Jackson is technically not a puppy as in he is 4 years old, but to me, he will always be my puppy!

Jackson is so sweet.

And he is so silly.

He loves a good nap!

And he loves to take walks!

He isn’t the brightest, that’s for sure, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He is my best friend.

I don’t like to think about where Jackson would be right now if maybe I didn’t get adopt him. I also don’t like to think about what will happen when he is no longer here.

The best thing about dogs is they live in the moment, so that is what I will do too.

I love you Jackson.

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Coffee, Idaho, Jackson, My favorite things

My top 10 favorite things!

Hi everyone!! So here’s a weird fact about me, I LOVE making lists. I mean, I am constantly making lists. Lists of things I need to do, lists of things I want to do, lists of books I want to read, movies I want to watch, even lists of things I want to buy. I just am always making lists.

It helps me to stay organized, and also to sort things out in my brain.

So here is a list of some of my favorite things. I was thinking I will start here then break it down into subsections of those favorite things, because why not?

So, here we go!

  1. DOGS: specifically my dog Jackson but really all dogs!
  2. TV SHOWS: I love watching shows. I am constantly watching multiple shows at once, because my mood depends on what I am wanting to watch.
  3. BEING OUTSIDE: I love being outside and feeling the sun on my face. Walking, biking, reading outside, swimming. I love being outside.
  4. READING BOOKS: When I was in college and high school I would even make lists of the books I read each year, keeping track of how many books and which ones I loved.
  5. MY FAMILY: I am convinced I have the best family in the world. No matter what, they are always there for me, and I wouldn’t be the person I am without them.
  6. MY FRIENDS: I also have the best friends in the world. I may not have that many friends, but quality over quantity in my mind.
  7. COFFEE: I don’t really need to elaborate, do I?
  8. LEARNING HOW THINGS WORK: And by that I mean, understanding why things work the way they do, the behind the scenes of things. I love listening to these watch back podcasts because it is so intriguing to me learning how different shows were made.
  9. SUNSHINE: I just love it when the sun it out. I am so much happier. It doesn’t even have to be warm, but when the sun is out, I feel joy!
  10. SKIING: I have been skiing since I was 3 and it is my favorite! I raced in high school and I still enjoy it to this day!

Well, that’s it! Those are my Top 10 favorite things!

I want to hear yours though, because I love learning about people!

Thanks for reading!

2022, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Andrea Nastri, Andrew Navaroli, Boston, Bruce, Christmas, Idaho, International Junior Miss, Jackson, journalism, Pageant, Reporter, Santa, Twin Falls

Goodbye, 2022!

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is almost over! I have been thinking a lot lately how fast this year went by, and how crazy it is that it’s almost a new year!

I’ve never really been a fan of New Year’s. I hate staying up late, and I often feel sad, because I think of all the things I wanted to do that year and didn’t.

But, what I’ve learned lately is that life just keeps going, and most of life is the mundane, the boring, the day to day things, but when you look back that is sometimes the most memorable.

Here is a recap of my 2022!

January started with my two best friends! I miss them so much!

Then we celebrated Jackson’s birthday! I don’t actually know if this is his birthday since I adopted him, but let’s be real, he doesn’t know either!

February I had the best time skiing at Sun Valley. I had a day off in the middle of the week and decided to ski by myself! I felt so free!

In March, my favorite Bruce’s came to visit and we also went skiing at Sun Valley!! I love my two favorite Bruce’s!

I also turned 25 in March! We took this picture on my birthday!

In April, my mom came to visit and we had a great time shopping and doing all the things we love to do together! I love my Mom so much!

In May, I spent a lot of time outside with Jackson!! We went on lots of walks, read lots of books, and enjoyed the beautiful weather before it got too hot!

In June, I found out I was going to be competing at International Junior Miss as Miss Idaho! This was a goal I set for myself back in 2019! Just goes to show that sometimes your goals take a while to accomplish, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on it!

July was super fun! I started my new role at KMVT as the morning show co-anchor!

My grandfather also passed away in July, I miss you Papa!

In August, Trevor and I went to DisneyLand and California Adventure! I am sharing this picture because I was so proud of myself for not letting my fears stop me and I went on the Incredicoaster!

In September we celebrated Trevor’s birthday with these great friends!! I’m lucky to have so many great friends!

October was exciting! We bought a house! I love this house and it’s finally starting to feel like home!

November was so busy! I flew back to MA for one weekend to surprise my mom for her birthday!! We pulled off the surprise!!

Then, it was time for Internationals in Florida! What an amazing week with new friends and my family!

December was full of Christmas cheer!!

Now, these are just some highlights of the year. Most of my days were just full of work, taking care of my dog, cooking, cleaning, food shopping, and just doing daily things.

There were also a lot of sad days, and a lot of happy days. And right now as I’m ending this year, I am very sick.

But, I choose to look on the positive side and hope that 2023 will be a year full of accomplishing goals, growing, and happiness.

Happy 2023!

2022, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Idaho, International Junior Miss, Pageant, Uncategorized

My week at International Junior Miss!

a.k.a the greatest week ever!

Hi friends!! Now that I have been home for a while, am fully unpacked and back to the real world, I can settle in and write about my week competing at International Junior Miss in Orlando, Florida!

Now, for those of you who don’t know, I have competed in pageants for a while, back in MA I competed for years before being the National American Miss Massachusetts in 2017.

When I moved to Idaho, I had set a goal back in 2019 to compete again. While it took me a few years to achieve that goal, I did and it was well worth the wait!

On November 19th I set off for Orlando, Florida with 4 suitcases, one crown box and one gown bag (it had 3 gowns in it.) I arrived Saturday night, unpacked and was excited for the week ahead!

Sunday morning was check-in! I was so excited to get the week started!

Little did we know when we took this picture, that Faith would go on to win the International Junior Miss title! A very well deserved win!

Later that night (Sunday) we had kick-off and the Neon Party! The best part about competing in pageants is always meeting all of the other girls!

On Monday, I was able to have a relaxing morning, followed by the Red Carpet Correspondent Competition and then a rehearsal later that evening! Each rehearsal and event has a different theme which is always so fun to plan the outfits out!

On Tuesday we started the day with the gift exchange, each queen brought 3 gifts, one for the outgoing International queen, one for the incoming International queen, and one for another state queen. Carrington got my gift!

Later that day, I competed in the spokesmodel competition, where I spoke about defining your own success, and how WHO you are and HOW you make other people feel is what matters most.

Tuesday was my brother’s birthday, so we had a nice dinner together that night. I was so lucky that my Mom, Dad and brother all were here this week too! We had so much fun together!

Then that night we had THE fashion event of the year!! The Ashley Rene’s and Ashley Lauren’s Under the Sea Ball!! It was so much fun seeing all the amazing outfits, and spending time with these amazing women!

Wednesday was our free day! My family and I went to Epcot! Epcot is one of my favorite parks, I just love all the countries and the different food, as well as the atmosphere!

Thursday, which was Thanksgiving was a super busy day!! I was up at 5:30 a.m. for hair and makeup! For all of the required competitions I got my hair and makeup done by Makeup and Maskara and her crew! It was the best decision I made, because not only did they do an amazing job, but they make you feel so good about yourself!! It was one big hype session in there!

Thursday morning we had interview, the first required competition of the week!

The interview was so fun, all of the judges were so nice! We had 3 minutes with each judge, there was a total of 6 judges. My favorite question was Do you have any regrets with your pageant journey? My answer, I only wish I started competing sooner.

I then had an amazing photo shoot with Imagine Studios! Check out some of these shots!

I just love these photos, it was a great addition to the pageant week!!

Later that afternoon, we had the car drawing! One lucky girl won a brand new mustang convertible. I unfortunately was not that girl.

Then we had the Thanksgiving banquet! I so admired the planning and thoughtfulness in hosting this event for more than 1,000 people! Truly amazing!

I love my family SO MUCH! They are the best part of my life!

Friday, we had our final two required competitions, formal wear and fun fashion!! Here are a few of my favorite stage shots, which I’m obsessed with!

I know it may be silly, but I was very proud of myself after this! I worked with Kailyn, my coach, for months preparing for this pageant, and I told myself I wanted to just do the best that I could do. I didn’t want to compare myself to the other girls, I didn’t want to be sad or disappointed in myself when the week was over. I just wanted to do the best for me. I can confidently say I did that, and had a ton of fun!

Saturday was the final day of the pageant! We started with the pajama rehearsal in the morning, and I was so sad that the week was almost over!

The final pageant was that afternoon!

I wish I could explain in words what it felt like with these girls. I mean this when I say that every single one of these girls is going to change the world.

I was honored to be a part of this group of girls, each one so smart, so talented, so kind, so nice, so supportive, and just so amazing. The support we all showed and continue to show for each other is what this world needs.

When we were on stage and they were announcing the top 12, of course I was a little disappointed that my name wasn’t called, who wouldn’t be. But, at the same time, I was so happy for the girls whose names did get called. I was thrilled for them!

Because pageants aren’t like other competitions, every single one of those girls could have won that crown, and I mean that. And just because your name wasn’t called doesn’t make you any less worthy than the others. We all worked so hard, we all put ourselves out there, and we all did something that most are afraid to do.

And at the end of the day, there is only one girl who walks away with that International Title, and I am so happy for her! But, what I took away from this week was friendships, memories, life lessons, confidence, and fun!

I think that unless you push yourself, and do things that are hard, and surround yourself with people who are better than you, you will never grow, and that is my ultimate goal in life, to never stop growing, and learning, and pushing myself to be the best me I can be, all while supporting everyone else!

Everyone has their time to shine, and I will be supporting the girl whose time it is, knowing that when it’s mine, she will do the same!

I am thankful, grateful and truly so so lucky that I got to experience this week. I will remember it for the rest of my life!

I was honored to win Best Personality at the final pageant!

Thank you to International Junior Miss, National American Miss, and the IAM Pageant Powerhouse for this amazing week, and for helping me become who I am.

2022, Boston, Grammy

Dear Grammy, I miss you.

1 year ago today, my grandmother passed away. It was sad and kind of sudden, but she was 87 years old. She had a great life, she really did. Gail Lillian Somes Hadley was magnificent.

I think about her often. She was just such a great grandmother. My brother and I are her only grandchildren, and she loved us both so much. Whenever we went over to her house she had some home made dessert waiting for us, or a snack. She made the best peach cobbler or cookies. She loved to cook and bake and made sure no one was ever hungry when they were with her.

She also never missed a recital, baseball game, theatre performance, or any other activity we were a part of.

One year on Thanksgiving when I was little I remember getting upset about something and crying, and she came over and sat with me to comfort me and make me feel better. It’s funny how I have no recollection about what I was upset about, but I will never forget her comforting nature that day.

If we were sick, she came and sat with us so my parents could go to work. We would watch tv and she would sit in the living room with us all day, probably knitting whatever sweater she was working on at that time.

She loved our yellow lab George so much. George knew it too, always sitting by her because he knew she would slip him something under the table. Dogs are so smart.

I always knew I could talk to her about anything, I called her a lot when I moved out here to Idaho, she was just the best.

Recently when I moved away from MA, we were pen pals, writing each other letters, and of course she would include a little gift in mine, some cookies or a gift card.

My dad would go over to her house and show her my news stories that I did, or if I was anchoring he would pull that up and show her too.

I sometimes wish I could call her up now and just talk to her. Tell her about my life, although I’m sure she knows.

We would talk about my dream wedding some day, what colors I wanted and where I wanted to get married. She said she would do my hair in pretty curls like she did for my prom.

I learned a lot from her, about generosity and love and loyalty, but I learned the most important lesson from her after she was gone.

Let me tell you about it. When she passed away, my family planned a wake and a funeral for her. The wake was on Tuesday night and the funeral was on Wednesday.

Tuesday night, we were all there at the wake and when I tell you that EVERYONE she knew came, I mean EVERYONE she knew came. And they were all sharing memories and stories and jokes and it was beautiful. I mean, all these cousins, and nieces and nephews, and friends, and my parents friends, and her friends, and her sister and brother in law, and my friends, and her family, and neighbors, and her daughter’s friends and of course her husband. I could go on. And, I thought how amazing it was that all these people took time out of their life to come say goodbye to her.

It was sad, but it was also kind of amazing, because they were remembering her as this person who cared so deeply about people, and never forgot important milestones.

People were recalling Thanksgivings from years ago, and fun trips to Cape Cod, and Christmas parties, and hand made sweaters that she knit for them or their child, people were remembering her, who she was and what kind of an impact she had on their life.

I always worry that I won’t be successful, that I’m not good enough or smart enough or pretty enough, and it’s kind of sad that I had this realization at my grandmother’s funeral, but NONE of that matters.

Because Grammy was a successful nurse but I don’t think that was brought up once at the funeral. Instead what was brought up was who she was, deep into her soul. She was amazing and kind and generous and loving and caring. And THAT is what matters.

It’s sad that we wait until people are gone to tell them our favorite things about them. I hope she knows how much of an impact she had on my life, and always will.

I think she’s up in heaven playing Bridge with her friends and her sister, eating some trout (her favorite food) and laughing without being in any pain. And I know she’s hanging out with George as well. Probably going on walks with him every day.

I know I’ll see you again someday, until then, I love you, every day.

2022, A Day In The Life Of Liz, College, Idaho, journalism, Reporter, Twin Falls

WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I MOVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT AGE 22 TO BE A NEWS REPORTER

When I decided to move to Idaho after college, I was excited. I was scared, but I was excited… It was a good job, I had just graduated college, and I thought I was ready for this next chapter in my life.

I was so wrong. 

Now, I’ve been here for almost 3 years and I was thinking how much has changed since I began that cross country drive. 

Not only is the world a different place, but I am as well. 

And I can honestly say, even though it has undoubtedly been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it’s also been the absolute best decision I’ve ever made. 

It’s so hard to see that so much of who you are, and the things you believe, are solely because of the people you surround yourself with. 

“You are the sum of the people you surround yourself with” 

I believe this with my whole heart. If you are around negative, mean people, you will become one too. But if you are around people who support you and lift you up, that’s who you’ll become. 

But when you move away, and you’re all alone, you get to decide who you surround yourself with, and what type of person you want to be. And not because it’s what everyone else thinks you should be doing, but simply because you know it’s what is right for you. Sometimes, you are only friends with people because you’ve always been friends with them… not because they are adding anything to your life. 

So that’s number one, whether you need to move away to figure this out or not: 

SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE WHO FILL YOUR CUP, AND SPEND TIME DOING THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY… 

Number two: 

BE PREPARED TO BE LONELY…

The only reason I moved here was for my job, and although now I have a lot of other hobbies and people and things going on in my life, that was not the case right away. 

I was so lonely, the only people I knew were from work. I missed the familiarity of my room, my friends and my family. 

But, in a way… that’s nice, because I got to decide what I liked doing, and what I didn’t. I got to figure out what type of person I wanted to be and what types of things I wanted to do.

It’s ironic, because now, I LOVE being alone. Please just give me 20 minutes after work to myself, I need to decompress. 

Third: 

IT’S GOING TO BE HARD…

I mean, working in journalism doesn’t pay a lot… at all, so not only will you be in a place that is new, and you will be lonely, but you will also be poor. 

You also will be learning how to succeed at your job and let me be honest… you will be bad at it, very bad.

You will make mistakes, and you will be lonely, and you won’t have a lot of money… so yeah, it’s going to be really really hard. 

But, that leads me to Number four: 

REMEMBER WHY YOU WANTED TO GO INTO THIS FIELD/PROFESSION ETC… 

On my worst days, when I would go home and cry and just want to give up, I didn’t… 

For a lot of reasons, mostly because I believe life is hard, and if you can’t handle hard days, that’s on you. 

“Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.”

I love telling stories, I love meeting new people and hearing about them and why they are the way they are. I love meeting people and thinking to myself, you are doing exactly what you were put on this earth to do. 

I love it, and the good days far outweigh the bad… but it is hard, it’s so very hard. 

Wow, already on number five: 

ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOUR LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS GOING TO GO HOW YOU PLANNED IT: 

I’m not going to lie, I had a plan in my head when I moved to Idaho, to finish my two year contract and move on to another station… I always wanted to be a head anchor at a big station… but almost three years later, and I’m still here. 

There are a lot of reasons why I chose to stay, but it really all comes down to the fact that you can have all these goals and plans and dreams for your life, but then things happen, and they change. 

For example: 9 months into me living here, COVID-19 hit and I was forced to work from home. 

I believe that “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.”

So, yes I wasn’t expecting to move to Idaho and like it, I wasn’t expecting to move to Idaho and meet my boyfriend, I wasn’t expecting to move to Idaho and for the entire world to shut down. But, it did. So what am I going to do about it? 

Which is another reason why I think it’s good to be alone, and it’s good to be somewhere where no one else is impacting your decisions on how you react to it. Because you know it’s going to be your choice, and no one else’s. 

Which leads me to number six: 

TRUST YOUR GUT: 

No one knows you like you. 

So, when you are alone, and you feel in your heart or soul or gut that something isn’t right, listen to it, don’t take anyone else’s opinions into the matter, just listen to yourself. You know what feels right to you, and you know what the right choice is… you always will. 

Seven: 

HOLIDAYS NEVER GET EASIER: 

It just sucks to work on holidays, there is no easy way to say that. We all do it, and we all hate it. The only bright side is, the people at the station will understand what you are going through on those days, and they will help you get through them. 

Eight:

IT JUST TAKES TIME: 

Everything takes time, it takes time to feel like you belong, it takes time to feel like you are good at your job, it takes time to make friends, it just takes time. 

But while it’s hard, and while it seems like it’s never going to get any better, embrace that… embrace the hard… embrace the days where you mess up, learn from those mistakes, and don’t do it again… be a little better every day. 

Life seems long, but it’s really not, and your job, your money, your “success” none of that matters in the end, I believe that with all my heart. 

I can tell you with absolute certainty that what people remember about you isn’t any of that, it’s all about who you are, and how you made those people feel about themselves, and what you did for them that matters, I promise. Who you are… deep into your core, is the most beautiful thing of all. 

So if you’re still reading this, I hope it helps you. I hope some senior in college about to move across the country for his/her first reporting job reads this and just remembers one piece of information, and maybe, just maybe it will help them. 

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Idaho, Las Vegas, Magic, Twin Falls

Seeing Derek Hough in Las Vegas

I had the absolute best weekend ever seeing Derek Hough in his Las Vegas residency, so I thought I would write about it.

So on November 6th, my Mom flew to Vegas from Boston, and I flew to Vegas from Boise and we met up to celebrate her birthday and see Derek!

We walked around and explored the city. I have been to Vegas 2 times but never with my Mom so it was super fun! We are such good travel partners, and my mom is really my best friend!

I love Vegas, it is such a cool place! I love the theme hotels, and all the people watching!

Then it was time to see Derek! His show was at The Venetian and I really enjoyed how the theatre was small, it made it seem like we were part of the show!

Which, actually, I did become part of the show!! Derek was asking for volunteers and he picked me!

I have been to every single one of Derek’s shows, and he has never picked me, so I was SO EXCITED!

He lined us all up, I was the tallest so I was in the back. He told me to stand really still and not move because he was going to come up and push off my shoulders to jump over us!

It was AMAZING!! I was so happy!!

The whole show was spectacular, an hour and a half of pure joy! The thing I admire the most about Derek is his passion, and who he is, he cares for people, and he cares about people, and he really truly is doing exactly what he was put on this earth to do, and there is something so special about that!

In this picture Derek was telling us how for so long he always wondered if he was enough, and it took him a long time to realize that no matter how many accomplishments he had, or how many awards he won, he was always enough, and so are we.

To be honest with you all, I never feel like I’m enough, I always wonder if I am going to be successful, but none of that matters. What matters is how we treat other people, and who we are on the inside. Thank you Derek for reminding me of that.

The finale dance was to a medley from The Greatest Showman, one of my favorite movies! Such a perfect way to end the show!

As soon as it was over, I wanted to see it again!

The next day was our last day, we spent it relaxing by the pool!

I am so thankful I got to see my Mom, and also Derek, I am so thankful for this experience!

I hope I have the chance to see the magic on stage again someday!

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Suffolk University

I’ve met Derek Hough 6 times!

Hello friends! If you know me at all, then you must know that Derek Hough is my absolute favorite dancer, choreographer, human, of all time.

Well, I am so excited to be going to Las Vegas to see him on November 7th at the Venetian! My mom is going to come from Massachusetts and I am coming from Idaho and we will have the absolute best time! The show we are going to is on my mom’s birthday.

But, let’s take a little look at how many times I have seen and met Derek Hough, just because these pictures make me happy!

June 22nd, 2014, my mom and I travelled to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to see Derek in his first Move Live on Tour show!

I still wear this shirt!

August 8th, 2014- I met Derek Hough at his book signing at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. This was one of the best days ever! I felt like I just met my hero!

I look so young!

He signed my book! Also, if you haven’t read Derek’s book, you totally should!

I’ve read this book 3 times!

Then, Derek announced that he was going to star in The Radio City Rockettes Spring Spectacular, and of course I went to New York City to see him in the show! We were in the second row, and I left before the show was over so I could go meet Derek at the stage door!

April 3rd, 2015, one of the best days, here we are at the stage door!

Selfie outside Radio City Music Hall!

He even signed my phone case!

I still have this phone case somewhere!

Then, he announced him and his sister were going on another Move Live on Tour, and they were coming to Boston this time! I got tickets again, and went to see him! I waited at the stage door after the show was over, but he didn’t come out this time. The show was still amazing!

Concert shirt!

I didn’t see Derek again until May 4th, 2017, but this story is wild!

Okay, picture this, I am sitting in the Suffolk University library studying for my media law final. It is a picture perfect day in Boston, the sun is shining and people are happy. I have front row VIP tickets to see Derek Hough on his Move Beyond show for the next day.

I take a break from my flashcards to look at Instagram, and Derek Hough has posted on his Instagram story that he is in the Public Garden, which is about a 10 minute walk from where I am.

I immediately stop studying for my final and call up my best friends Andrea and Andrew as we wander through the city trying to find him.

From the public garden to Fanueil Hall to the Esplanade, we were trying so hard to find him. I just wanted to meet him again, because Derek has been such an inspiration to me.

We decided to sit down on the Greenway because he hadn’t posted in 45 minutes, and I was about to give up, but then he posted that he was inside the Aquarium. We get up and start walking towards the Aquarium. I decided I was just going to wait outside the door and try to see him when he walks out. Just as I made those plans, there he is walking towards me.

I kind of feel bad because it was so obvious he was trying to just have a relaxing day to himself, but I knew I had to say Hi. I called his name and he came over. I told him the story and told him that I was coming to his show the next day. We took these pictures.

Derek said it was like we were playing Pokemon Go, but for celebrities!
Classic!

The next day I took my media law final, I got a 97 on it by the way, and then we went to the show! I went with my mom and dad and we had VIP tickets, so we got to meet him and his sister before the show, and attend a Q&A session. I wanted to do a really funny picture with Derek, so when I got up there, I said Derek how about you pretend that you are proposing to me? I didn’t know if he would go for it or not, but here is the result.

YES, of course I’ll marry you Derek!

It was hilarious! I loved this day!

His show was awesome, and in the middle of it, Derek came through the audience, grabbed my phone and we took this selfie!

SELFIE!

When Julianne asked for an audience volunteer, guess who went up there! My Dad!

My Dad dancing with Julianne on stage!

It was one of the best days!

I can’t believe I took this photo!

It was a prefect day!

In 2019, Derek announced he was going to go on a solo tour this time, and considering I was about to graduate college, I wanted to reward myself and buy Front Row Seats again to his show in Boston!

I was this close to the stage!
I love this picture!

The best part about having VIP tickets is that you get to know him a little bit. I asked Derek a question during this Q&A session, I said, Derek I’m about to graduate from college, what is something you wish you knew when you were my age?

I honestly live by what he said every single day.

Derek said, You are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with negative people, you’ll be negative. But, if you surround yourself with people who work hard, and think positive, then you will be that way too.

I admire Derek not only because he is so handsome, but because he has worked hard, and never given up on what he wanted, even though it is challenging.

I hope someday people will look up to me like I look up to him.

I had tickets to see Derek in June of 2020 at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, but that show got cancelled because of COVID, so I really can not wait to see him at the Venetian in November!

I am so thankful for all of these experiences and shows I’ve seen Derek in, his passion and determination is unmatched!

I love Derek!

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, mental health, Reporter, Suffolk University

My journey with mental health

When I was in 10th grade, I had my first panic attack. I was backstage waiting to go on for the closing number of Les Mis ( the spring musical I was in) and I thought I was going to pass out. My eyes were blurry and my legs were shaking. I didn’t go on for the number and instead sat backstage shaking and taking deep breaths.

I had my second panic attack in Mr. Flaherty’s history class 2 days after that. I went to the nurse because I thought I was going to throw up. My mom dismissed me from school.

I’ve had a panic attack in the shower, on the bus, on the train, in the car, and in my bed. I’ve had a panic attack during a band concert and on a plane. I had a panic attack on a boat in Greece and on my living room floor. 

By senior year of high school they seemed to be getting better, or at least I had learned how to control them. I knew the signs and the triggers and I knew how I felt before they started. I thought I was doing better. 

I was excited and ready to go to college. I was going to live in the dorms and it was going to be amazing, or at least that’s what everyone kept telling me.

But it wasn’t amazing, in fact I hated college my first year.

Every night, around 3 in the morning I would wake up from my deep sleep having a panic attack. I would cry and shake and be nauseous. I would walk out of the dorms to the middle of Boston because I just couldn’t breathe and I needed some air. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating, but I felt freezing cold. And it happened, every single day. 

I didn’t tell anyone. I went into college thinking it was going to be the best years of my life, and everyone would be having a great time. Why wasn’t I having a good time? What is wrong with me? I’m all alone, or at least that’s how I felt. 

By the middle of February I couldn’t take it any more. I was never sleeping, I was having 3-4 panic attacks a day. My only thoughts were on surviving. One morning in February after another night of constant panic attacks I sat in the 150 Tremont Street cafeteria eating my breakfast and crying. I called my mom and finally told her what was happening to me.

After lots of tests and discussion with my psychiatrist, it was determined I had panic disorder and Generalized anxiety disorder, and insomnia brought on by the GAD and panic.

I took the T home that day with so many emotions- relief, worry, shame, hope.

Panic disorder means I have a chemical imbalance in my brain, causing my body to have sudden and unexpected attacks of fear. The good news, with medicine and counseling, I can learn how to live with this disorder.

I made a lot of changes, I started commuting to college every day. I came up with a strict night time routine which helped my brain learn how to sleep again.

I learned how to cope with the constant anxiety. For me, the best way to cope was to have a set schedule and routine. I lived by my calendar, crossing things off when they were complete. To this day, straying from my routine messes me up for the whole day. 

I would stay busy, I worked a lot, I had some internships, I read a lot of books, watched tv, worked hard for my grades. I taught dance and competed in pageants and went skiing on the weekends. I thought if I was busy, I wouldn’t have time to be anxious, or at least I wouldn’t have time to think about how anxious I actually was. 

I would test myself to see how long I could go without a panic attack. 1 day, 1 week, 1 month. 

And just when I would feel confident with my progress, I would have a random panic attack on a Tuesday night and worry I was reverting to how it used to be. I had medicine to take if I did start to have a panic attack, but I felt ashamed if I needed to take it, like I was never going to be okay again. 

By senior year of college, I felt pretty normal again. Even if I started having a panic attack I could control it and go on with my day- a huge improvement from how it used to be.

I started applying for jobs, feeling ready to graduate from college and start in my field.

I graduated from college on May 19, 2019 and moved to Idaho on June 15, 2019.

Moving to Idaho has been really great, but also really hard. I love my job, and going to work, but I would be lonely on my days off. Sometimes I would just go to TJ Maxx or Target just so I wouldn’t be alone. 

About one month into living here I adopted my dog, Jackson, from the shelter, and I am so glad that I did, because he became my best friend and a great way for me to meet people, we would go on walks or hikes and to the dog park.

There has been so much good to come out of moving to Idaho and working here, but let me tell you, when the world shut down last March, I did not handle it well at all.

I went back to how I was freshman year of college, solely focused on trying to get through the day. 

If I felt lonely when I first moved here, that was nothing compared to how I felt when the pandemic started. 

I cried all the time, I felt like there couldn’t possibly be another person in the entire world who understood how I felt. I was alone. I was back to my daily consuming anxiety and not being able to think about anything else. 

Because one of my main coping mechanisms for anxiety is to be busy and not have time to focus on the anxiety, when the world shut down, there went my coping mechanism, and the anxiety and panic attacks came right back. 

After a few months of things staying the same, I decided to make some changes myself. 

I started going to therapy, I moved to a bigger apartment, I tried to find things I liked to do, even if it was something small like taking a walk or baking some muffins. 

Through it all, everyday, I showed up to work and tried my best. And some days, my best was really really really bad. 

So, if you are still reading this, you may be wondering, Why is Elizabeth sharing this with us? 

Well, I’ll tell you why.

Because over the past 2 years, I’ve been telling the stories of the people and for the people of Southern Idaho, and it’s been an honor. 

But, what I’ve learned from doing this is that everyone has a story to tell, and every story matters. Now, it might not matter to everyone, but my goal is to have each story I share affect just one person. 

So in reality, my story may only have an impact on one or two people who have read this far, but in my mind, that’s enough. 

I know what it’s like when you feel alone, when you lay in bed at night crying because it’s all just too much to handle. So if you ever feel that way, I get it. 

If there is one thing I’ve learned since 10th grade, it’s this: 

All of my life, I’ve wanted to be successful, thinking that I would finally be successful when XYZ happened. 

I still worry I won’t ever be successful, but I’ve come to realize there is no definition to success, like all of the stories I’ve told over the past year, everybody’s is different. Maybe I won’t ever be the host of Good Morning America, or a rockette, maybe I’ll just be happy.

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Jackson, Twin Falls

A day in the life of Jackson

Time to get up Mom, come on!!!

Finally, time for my morning walk!!

Had my walk and my breakfast, back to bed!!!

You’re home! I’ve been waiting for you to get home from work ALL DAY!!!

Time to go out for my afternoon play time!!

Back home and ready for my after dinner nap!

Time for bed, today was a really tiring day!! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!

2020, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Idaho, Jackson, Reporter, Suffolk University

Lessons from moving 2,546 miles across the country

Growing up, I had lots of goals, lots of dreams and ambitions. 

For a little while, I wanted to be an actor on Broadway. 

Then I wanted to be a princess. Don’t ask me why, I just wanted to marry a prince so I could be a princess and have all the fancy jewels. 

Then my goal was to go to college so I could graduate and be a news reporter and eventually work my way up to being the host of Good Morning America. 

So, I went to Suffolk University and I had 5 internships and 3 jobs and commuted from home to school every day. I mastored taking the train, and learned all the ins and outs of Boston. 

And I loved it. I mean, honestly I LOVED it. 

I took classes that were hard but would prepare me for my job, some of which I still think about today. 

On May 17, 2019 I got a job as a reporter. On May 19, 2019 I graduated college. 

On June 10, 2019 I began my drive to Idaho for my first job as a reporter at KMVT News in Twin Falls, Idaho.  

I was excited, scared, nervous, and really happy. 

I was moving from Easton, Massachusetts to Twin Falls, Idaho to start my career. 

A 2,546 mile drive to prepare myself for what was about to happen. 

And here is what I now know: 

I greatly underestimated how hard it would be to move literally across the entire country by myself at the age of 22. 

The greatest way to learn is by doing the job. College was awesome and great, but my goodness, I’ve learned more in the past year and a half than I did in 4 years of school. 

Nothing will prepare you to cover a fatal car accident, or horrific house fire. Nothing. 

You will go home at night and not be able to forget about your job. 

You really don’t get a day off. 

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, your day will not go how you planned it. 

But, there is one thing I have learned over everything else that I will carry with me for the rest of time: 

Life has its own plans for you.

I mean, growing up I had all these dreams and goals and things I wanted to do, and moving to Twin Falls, Idaho wasn’t one of them, wasn’t even a thought that popped into my head. 

But it has without a doubt been the best decision I’ve ever made. 

There are people I didn’t know 2 years ago who now, I couldn’t picture my life without. 

The people in this community are some of the nicest, most genuine, most caring people I know. 

I mean, I really just love being a part of this community, with all my heart. 

Now, I’m not saying you should just drop your goals and dreams and hope for the best, but I am saying that some of the best things to happen in your life and too good to imagine, they are too good to dream up. 

I guess what I’m saying is, be open to all the possibilities that come your way, because sometimes the most unexpected ones are the best ones. 

I still have so much to learn, so far to go, so many more mistakes to make, so many more stories to tell. 

And I am so excited to see all the things that happen to me that were too great to dream up. 

George

I will love you forever, George

Earlier this week, my dog of 11 years passed away.

George was the best dog there ever was.

The day we got George, my brother Bruce and I were sitting in the living room watching Wizards of Waverly Place the movie. (It was 2 days before the start of 7th grade for me, and 5th grade for him)

Mom told us to come outside because Dad was home and had a surprise for us.

Bruce jokingly said, “A dog,”

To which I replied, “Yeah, right”

Well, what do you know? It was a dog, a 10 week old Yellow Lab Puppy who didn’t even have a name.

We named him George after Curious George, because George got into everything. (Thinking back on it, he should have died a long time ago. He ate chocolate, banana bread, power bars, and a wooden coat tree)

I have been thinking a lot about our time with him this past week, and I feel sad. I’m sad to know he will no longer be there whenever you come home, I’m sad to know that we have to continue on without him.

The best thing about dogs is how loyal they are.

I can’t even tell you the number of times I woke up in the middle of the night having a panic attack, and George was always there. I doubt he knew what was happening, but he was there all the same.

Dogs don’t have any prejudices. George loved everyone. And he thought everyone loved him, (which I mean, who wouldn’t just look at his face)

I feel so grateful for my time with George.

He taught me that love changes and grows.

First, I loved George because of how adorable he was.

But, the more time I spent with him, the more I realized his personality and his love and his heart.

I know that George is in heaven right now playing with all the dogs and eating all the treats.

I also know that I will see him again.

But for now, I will just go on missing him.

I will love you forever George, thank you for being the best boy a girl could have.

2020, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Reporter, Twin Falls

Summer of 2020

Since Fall is officially here, I got to looking through my pictures and seeing all the fun adventures I had this summer and decided to document it.

This summer was weird, actually all of 2020 has been kind of weird, but when I look back at these pictures I realized how much fun it actually was.

I hope you all had a great summer too! HAPPY FALL!

Got to spend a lot of time with my baby Jackson!
Went home to Massachusetts to see my family, and we flew right over Cape Cod!
Got to see my best friends Andrew and Andrea and my Massachusetts dog George!
And my favorite family! I miss them all the time!
And made some new friends in Idaho! Congratulations Kevin and Haley!
I met this awesome guy who is from Boston but now flies this B-25 all around the world!
I saw a moose for the first time!
Went to my SECOND rodeo with Trevor!
And anchored the news with Ryan Denniss!

2020, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Jackson, Reporter, Twin Falls

Celebrating 1 Year at KMVT

1 Year ago on this very day, I started working at KMVT. I remember I was so nervous walking in that day, wanting to make sure I would make a good first impression.

It was the greatest decision ever to take this job, not only have I learned a lot about being a good journalist, but also about life.

Moving here was hands down the hardest thing I have ever done. I had just graduated college, and I left everything I had ever known and worked for to move here. I was lonely and sad, and some days I still am. But, most days I love it.

I used to be the type of person who was always working towards my next goal. Whatever I was doing wasn’t good enough, it could be better, I could be better. And while I still have goals and dreams, I have realized that if I live like that I will never be happy with where I am right now.

I love living in Idaho. It’s beautiful, the people are some of the nicest I have ever met, and there is so many fun things to do.

This job is stressful, there is so much that could go wrong, and I don’t want to do a bad job. But, the best thing that I ever could have done is plan ahead. I know I contradict myself, because I also say to live in the moment, but if you don’t plan ahead, you won’t get your work done in time, and make it in time for the shows.

I do miss my home in Massachusetts, but at the same time, I have made a home here, with people who I love.

The most important thing I have learned since moving here is everything works out. Maybe not what you imagined or pictured in your head, but sometimes even better. I love working here at KMVT News, and I love living here in Idaho, and I am excited to see what my future holds, but for now… I’m just going to be happy.

2020, Idaho, SPRING, Twin Falls

Spring is my favorite season

Hi friends. Recently, I realized that spring is definitely my favorite season. I love how everything comes to life again, how I can feel the sun on my face, I love the flowers blooming, but it isn’t too hot out yet. I love spring, it makes me happy.

You know what else I love? Seeing beautiful sights in nature.

Over the last few weeks I have taken pictures of pretty things I have seen while I was out walking my dog, or getting B-Roll for my stories and they will be in this blog, check it out!!

Yellow is my favorite color!
How cool is it that this is a photo I took? It looks like a painting.
Beautiful views while taking my dog for a walk!
Speaking of… my handsome boy
I had to go to Wilson Lake in Jerome County for a possible boat sinking. There was not boat sinking, but this was a great sunset!
Idaho is so pretty
I love tulips, I think they are my favorite flower, they close up at night, and come alive when the sun comes out! Such smart flowers!

I hope you liked looking at the beautiful pictures as much as I did! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

2020, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Jackson, Reporter, Twin Falls

A Day in the Life of Liz

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well!! I was talking to Andrea and Andrew on Tuesday, and they said how I should document one day in my life and make a blog post about it, so that’s what I did. Throughout the day Tuesday I took notes, took pictures and well… here we are.

Here I am, just getting to work.

I get to work at a different time every day, it depends on when I set up my interviews and all of that, but on Tuesday, I got to work at 10:30 in the morning, clearly just out of the shower.

We have been doing a lot of our interviews over Zoom, or FaceTime.

I have a great set up figured out for how I conduct my online interviews.

Heading out to get B-Roll

Even though I can do all my interviews over the internet, I still have to go out and get B-Roll!

Saw these beautiful flowers while I was out getting B-Roll.

My boss told me to wash one of the KMVT cars while I was out, which is one of my favorite things to do.

CAR WASH!

Lately, I’ve been craving chicken all the time, so after the car wash, I headed to get Chic-Fil-A before I start editing.

YUMMY!!!
Time to start editing.

After I ate my food, I started editing. Editing can be very tedious, but somedays it pays off. On this day, I loved my stories. It took me about 3 hours to finish all my editing, but it was worth it. Everyone has a different editing rhythm, but I have found one that works for me.

In the recording booth, ready to track my package.
Selfie with my boss Kade on my way back from the recording booth.

After I lay down my voice and finish all my B-Roll, I have to export!

I have little notes to remind myself of things!

After I finish all my editing and writing and exporting, I have to start my web stories.

Web story time!

The station has been weird lately, many people are working from home, and all the stories have been related to the virus in some way or another, but we are doing our best!

After my web stories are written, I have to wait until the show is over to clip my videos, so they will be on the website.

A very time consuming process.

It was around 7 o’clock when I finished all my work and went home to see… my pup pup Jackson.

Always so happy to see me!

I made my dinner, which was just leftovers and sat down at my table by myself to eat it while I watch some Netflix. My nightly routine.

Now, this was just my Tuesday, and the thing is that I never really know how my day is going to go when I get to work. There are so many unknowns. A few weeks ago we had an earthquake 8 minutes before the 6 p.m. newscast and had to change our shows. One night, there was a house fire at 8 p.m, so it’s random and you just never know what your day will hold.

Laying in bed with my puppy.

Then I got ready for bed, took Jackson out to go to the bathroom once more, and went to sleep.

What. A. Day.

2020, Jackson, Twin Falls

My Pup Pup Jackson

Hello all, Let’s talk about something fun, something adorable, something handsome. My puppy Jackson.

I adopted Jackson from the Twin Falls Animal Shelter in the end of July, and that was the best choice I made since moving here. He is 1 years old now, or at least that is what everyone thinks, since he was adopted, I just picked a birthday and made it his.

Jackson is just so cute.

He has no respect for your personal space. He hates being alone, he never wants me to leave.

The best thing about him is he just loves life, no matter what we do, he is happy and ready to do it. A walk, the dog park, sleep, playing with his toys, he is ready and excited.

I make him cuddle with me.

The best thing about dogs, is they just live in the moment, whatever is going on right now is all that they care about. Which is probably the thing that I am the worst at. I wish I was better at it, but I’m not.

So thank you baby boy Jackson for always being my best friend.

2019, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Reporter

Living it up in Idaho

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well, I am very sorry that I haven’t written a blog in a while, but here I am ready to get back to it!

As you all know, I am living the dream here in Twin Falls, Idaho as a reporter for KMVT News. That may sound sarcastic, but I mean every word of that! I love this job!

I have officially worked here for 4 months now! June 17th-Oct 17th! 

I have covered so many interesting stories.

I got a dog! Jackson and I were made for each other, he is so hyper and is always up for an adventure, but he also loves a good nap now and then! I adopted him from the Twin Falls animal shelter.


I am so much happier and so much less lonely with him here!

My Mom came to visit, and so did my Dad!

Now, if anyone is reading this who is a senior in college, or is looking for a job, I have some tips that I have learned since I started this job! 

Number 1: Take it day by day, it’s important to look ahead and have goals, but so much can change so quickly, so it’s important to just take it day by day.

Number 2: Really throw yourself into wherever you move to. For me, it’s Southern Idaho. I really have embraced the culture here, and I think the viewers can tell who tries to understand what is important here. Being a reporter isn’t about me, it’s about the viewers, so I try to do stories that matter to them, like Friday night football, or farming stories. Those things matter to them, so that is what I do.


Number 3: Don’t take everything so seriously. This job can really be kind of sad, when I go cover house fires, or car crashes, or people that lost their job, I get sad and I feel so bad for those people. I try to not take my own life so seriously and just have fun too. 

Number 4: This job can kind of make you want to be a mean person, because a lot of people will be mean to you. Sometimes, I am driving back from a story, and I think, wow that person was so nice to me, and really made me feel welcome at their house/store/farm. I realize that being a nice, kind, caring, selfless person is way more important than what type of job you have because I remember those people, and I never remember the mean/annoying/rude ones.

Since being here my goal of life has changed. My goal is just to be nice and kind and have people feel good when they are around me. 

Anyways, I hope you all are doing well. Have a great day!

2019, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Reporter, Suffolk University, Twin Falls

Life Lately with Liz!

Hello friends! Liz here! So much has been going on in my little world lately, I thought you’d all like to see what is going on in my crazy world!

Well, on May 19th, 2019, I graduated from college!

Then, on June 10th, Mom and I started our drive across the entire country. From Easton MA to Twin Falls, Idaho in 6 days! What a long, tiring, beautiful 6 days!

On June 17th, I started my new job as a Reporter at KMVT News here in Twin Falls, Idaho. I started on June 17th, and on that same day I moved into my new apartment.

Then, two weeks later, I got stitches.

I lost my phone on the side of the highway covering a car crash, and I was phone less for 5 days. I went live on air for the first time.

I am covering all sorts of stories here, and it’s very hard to do. I get sad sometimes when the story is sad, and some days I don’t do a very good job, but I am trying, that’s for sure.

This whole new life out here is very different for me. I’m all alone, I don’t have any friends, and I’m working at my first job out of college, literally right out of college. It’s hard and overwhelming, but it’s also good and challenging and I’m learning so much.

Life out here is so different than Boston. For one, there is no public transportation, which is how I got around back home. Second, things aren’t open on Sunday’s and things close early. People here more just enjoy their day, which is hard for me to do. I’m learning.

It’s very beautiful though. There is a lot of beautiful outdoor adventures that I have been going on, which I love.

So, if you want to visit me here, let me know! I have a nice big apartment you can stay in, and we can go kayaking, and swimming and biking and you can come to the studio!

Thanks for reading! Have a great summer!