By Jacob McCarthy
Editor’s note: Jacob McCarthy is a senior studying media and communications at Castleton University. He is interning with Rutland Young Professionals for this spring.
If you told me the day I showed up at Castleton University on a hot, humid August morning back in 2018 that my life would change forever, I would have laughed at you. One of the main reasons that I came to small town Vermont to continue my education was to play football for four more years. Yes, I wanted to continue my education but ultimately my college decision came down to where I could play football and Castleton gave me that opportunity.
The first couple of days of football camp went by with feelings of fatigue, sweat and uncertainty. I can remember thinking to myself, “do I really want to be here” and “am I going to fit in.” I came to Castleton from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where in the summers you cannot drive anywhere due to all the tourists and the winters being emptier with not much to do. It was a change coming here due to the fact I had to drive 10 minutes just to get McDonald’s, and McDonalds was the only fast food option available in the quiet streets in Vermont after 9 p.m. I had never seen street lights flash yellow after a certain time of night. I really thought I was not going to like this place.
Fast forward to my first day of class, sitting in a 100-person anatomy and physiology lecture required to be an athletic trainer. Let’s just say memorizing the human body wasn’t my strong suit. I stuck with athletic training through my freshmen year but knew it wasn’t for me and that I needed to switch majors. The beginning of my sophomore year started the same with football camp in August and some certainty that I was going to have meaningful time on the field and still the uncertainty of what I wanted to study. Walking into an Intro to journalism class really stuck with me and with some convincing from the teacher, I became a media and communications major.
Then Covid-19 happened.
Being sent home in the middle of the spring semester in 2020 there was even more uncertainty. Everyone thought we would be back in two weeks. But while Covid messed up a lot of people’s lives, I took a lot of good out of Covid. It made me appreciate the special place that Castleton is. I stayed off-campus in Castleton through the virtual fall 2020 semester and that is where my love for Castleton really grew. I finally felt the sense of care everyone has at this place, the great people that I can call friends, and the connections I have made in other aspects of my life are something I can cherish forever. There is no real way to explain Castleton other than just special.
Interning with Rutland Young Professionals has integrated me even more into the community around Castleton and has opened my eyes to how similar the Rutland area community is to the Castleton community. We talk about the “Castleton Way” all the time around campus but that really extends out into the Rutland region. People hold doors for you, they say “hi,” they consider the college an asset to the community and not a burden. You don’t see that everywhere with communities and colleges. Interning with RYP has also taught me the valuable lesson of being involved in the community and building relationships. As I finish my last semester of college, being able to hear the stories of other young professionals in the area, it all comes back to the community. Being involved in the community is the best way to integrate yourself and make an impact.
Though I am not staying in the Rutland area, the lessons that the Rutland community has taught me are something I will take back home with me and try to instill in the community that I will live in the future. I will always bleed 343 green but 343 green is more than just Castleton, It’s the culture that has been built in the Rutland area and is what makes this area so special. It won’t be my permanent home but I will always consider Rutland County a second home and a place that has made a lasting impact on me.
