Introducing Express Intern Hannah Gray

     I’m not your typical girl who’s had my wedding, career, or future planned out since I was 5 years old. My motto is go with the flow, and see where it takes me. Turns out, it took me right back home.

     I grew up in Monticello, alongside my three sisters and one brother. Growing up in a small town was a blessing. Everywhere I went, a familiar face or two would pop up and we could talk about anything and everything because everyone knows everyone in a small town. It made me appreciate all the little things in life, and reassured me that I’d never take any of it for granted. Even though there wasn’t much to do, we always made our own fun, which is the best kind of fun.      

     When I graduated high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I had two simple expectations for my future job; I wanted to travel and I wanted to have fun. Although I was interested in many things, I couldn’t quite pinpoint what my dream job was. In the fall of 2017, I decided to go to school at the University of Iowa to become a travel nurse. When I told my family, they were astonished and confused on why I wanted to go into the medical field, when I never had any interest in it beforehand. I had continuous arguments, trying to convince them, and myself, I could be a nurse for the rest of my life. Finally, three months later, I decided it wasn’t the best fit for me and I changed my major to journalism. To this day, I still get the occasional “I told you so” from my mom.

     I love to be creative so changing my major to journalism was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself. Not to mention I have a lot to say and I think most people would prefer me writing instead of blabbering about it. Whether it’s painting a picture or writing a speech, creativity is like a second nature to me. I spend hours thinking of new places to take pictures or of different outfits to wear. I barely consider it a hobby, it’s a part of who I am.                 

     A big factor that inspired me to go into the journalism field were the opportunities I’ll have to connect with new people and hear their stories. Talking to people and learning about them is something I would do for fun, but making a career out of it is even better. The best part of journalism is I never know what kind of experiences I’m going to encounter or where I’ll end up next. It’s full of never ending spontaneous adventures.

     In college, I am involved with the fashion management and photography club. They’re both subjects I hope I can someday incorporate into my future career. Once I graduate from the U of I, I hope to either work for a magazine such as Vogue or National Geographic or I would like to become a social media influencer, with a focus on travel and fashion.

     I’m looking forward to working at Monticello Express and growing as a young writer in the journalism field. I’m excited to have the opportunity to work in a space surrounded by people who chose the same career path as me and to be able to get real experience in a successful company. I know this internship will only benefit me in ways that will push me towards my goals. I can already say for myself, the Express is a great work environment full of talented people.