Happy Trails
By Chelsey Becker
As I reflect on the past 26 weeks working as an Editorial Intern at Canadian Cowboy, I have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for my time spent learning, creating, and being mentored by some of the best in the business.
What really has me baffled? The fact that time has truly flown by and that six months has come and gone so quickly.
Upon securing my position as an Editorial Intern at Canadian Cowboy, I was so eager and excited! After draduating from the journalism program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in the spring of 2022, it was my goal to find an internship within the niche I had always dreamt of being a part of — Western journalism.
I still remember sitting down to write my first blog post, being so giddy to have the opportunity to share my thoughts, ideas and experiences living in the modern West.
I learned quickly that my experiences on the farm/ranch with my boyfriend would make for great storytelling, as I was so green to a large portion of this way of life. I had my camera in hand everywhere I went and a notepad to jot down ideas for my next post on the website.
So, what is next?
Life has a funny way of surprising us with new endeavours, but I am ready. After my internship is wrapped up, I will continue creative writing, embracing life on the farm/ranch with my boyfriend as I learn new things daily, spending my days with my best buddy, Hank (my Golden Aussie dog), making new recipes in the kitchen, and, of course, I will be adding to my western fashion inventory as new trends and style arise. Also, I will always be picking up the current issue of Canadian Cowboy anytime I see it on a newsstand, as I love the values and stories that this magazine embodies. I wholeheartedly have become a major fan of this magazine.
Throughout the course of my internship, I have gained so much knowledge and experience writing and have learnt so much alongside the whole team at Canadian Cowboy.
One of the standout moments from my time here was my interview with Curtis Anderson, the brain injury survivor from a terrible bull riding accident. His story touched me and listening to him explain not only the accident itself but the trials and adversity he faced following the accident remains as one of the most triumphant and impactful conversations I have ever had. I will remember this forever.
Another takeaway from this experience is the fulfillment I got while writing my blog posts each week, whether it be on food, fashion, or my experiences on the farm. Each week I had the opportunity to creatively write what I feel was important or exciting to me at that time. I felt that I was doing my job even if just a handful of people had read and related to my blog post.
Moving ahead, I will never forget my time with Canadian Cowboy, and I extend a massive thank you to the whole team once again. This experience was nothing short of educational, fun, exciting and, most of all, a team effort every day I spent here.
Happy trails to everyone, and thank you for coming along on this journey with me each week.
