2017 was a total butt-kicker of a year, but it was also one of many fun experiences, important opportunities, and hard work.
At Randolph-Macon, I continued to work my way through my junior and senior years. My SGA presidential campaign was a huge feat; even though we lost that election, the excitement from my campaign contributed to one of the highest turnouts in an R-MC SGA election in the College’s history. The aftermath of the election led to my appointment as a Senior Class Senator, where I’ve been able to help make our ideas a reality. I also got to meet Sage the Gemini at Camptown, I’ve continued to make Deans List every semester since Spring 2015, and I’ve learned so many different things along the way in my classes and in my positions as a CAB Event Manager and as a Resident Assistant. I also joined Mu Phi Epsilon in the fall, which is filled with talented musicians and all-around great people.
This summer, I worked at the Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion for my second season and while the job itself wasn’t the most exciting and came with its downsides, the people I worked with yet again made it an amazing and fun experience that I won’t soon forget. In addition to working with people from across the Commonwealth, I also worked with students from the Philippines, Columbia, Hong Kong, and Poland, so I was able to develop an even larger appreciation for diverse cultures (I hope to travel to these places one day!). The fall brought Halloween Haunt to me for the third year in a row; this is always one of my favorite times of the year. I was super excited to learn that I was placed in Blood on the Bayou, the newest maze in the park that was eventually named the MAZE OF THE YEAR for Haunt 2017! This was easily my favorite year of Haunt ever, and I loved every minute that I was in that hot maze working with my fellow monsters, who made me feel even more welcome in the Haunt family.
There were also many different political events that were highlights of my 2017. My trip to Washington, D.C. to see the 58th Presidential Inauguration was something that everyone should try at least once in their life as it is an amazing experience to watch one presidency end and another begin right before your eyes. I also spent a large amount of my year interning for the 2017 Virginia Republican Ticket from the very beginning in January, and even though we lost in a fashion nobody expected, we learned a lot about our state and country that night and we left everything out on the floor with one of the best run campaigns ever. The end of the year brought some promise as Nick Freitas, who is someone that I have admired since his visit to R-MC, announced his U.S. Senate bid and brought some optimism and liberty to the Republican Party.
These are just the highlights; I could go on about all the ups and downs that happened in 2017. While the news was mostly negative, I tried my best to keep this year as positive as possible. Thanks to everyone that made this year special, and I can’t wait to see y’all around in the New Year!
In Liberty,
Jacob Stech
