Queerly Beloved // Gem Sheps

The past nine months have been wild.

Somehow, that feels like an understatement. From my personal life to the state of the nation, it feels like everything around me has changed so radically that I’m not the same person I was when I started working for the Sentry.

Working here has helped me to grow so much. I’m still a judgemental, loud-mouthed, sarcastic asshole with a penchant for cursing way too much and chewing people out for disagreeing with me; however, I now also know how to push through my biases to look at a situation from an objective point of view and at least make an attempt to listen to the opposing side (the opposing side is usually either my dad or my best friend’s boyfriend).

Though I still know jack about politics, I now know how to research, learn, and take action on an individual level.

I now know some pretty rad places to get donuts, pho, and vegan food—however, I will not be eating vegan food. You can’t trick me, you radish-munching, tofu-loving devils.

I have a whole new perspective on how I want to live my life and what I want to do with my career.

I made some new friends, which is a pretty damn big deal for me. Throughout most of my life I’ve had a maximum of about two friends at any given moment, but when I walk into the Sentry office I feel welcome and happy among my coworkers.

Joining the Sentry team was a big change for me. Working here has shown me a plethora of new perspectives, given me an incredible amount of hands-on experience, and helped to shape my future.

Because I’m leaving CU Denver, I have to say goodbye to the Sentry too, which breaks my heart.

To my co-workers: thank you. Thank you, Taylor, for telling me to apply. Thank you, Savannah and Morgan, for bringing me onto the team and showing me the ropes. Thank you to all the rest of the editorial staff, the writers, and the photographers, for helping me cultivate this section, and for being my pals.

See you on the other side, kids.