PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Most people dread sitting in traffic, especially after a long hot day. For nearly three hours, the Tesla pictured on the left did not move and neither did we. The Greenbrier Farms parking lot after Donald Trump’s rally had us stuck. However, I would do it all again.

It wasn’t just covering the former president’s arrival that made this day so special. It was spending time with Brett, Andy, Raven, Paul, Rob and Sean (not pictured) that made this day unforgettable.

While fighting heat, exhaustion and deadlines, everyone offered me great advice. They showed me how to make the best of our situation while teaching me the reality of working in news.

Part of that reality is doing something different each day. One day, I’m talking about a new movie about the life of Pharrell Williams and the next day I’m covering a shooting or a murder trial.

I got to shadow Brett on a story about a former sheriff deputy that allegedly assaulted three people when the officer was off duty. The people were setting off fireworks late at night in the deputy’s neighborhood. The picture above is from that day. It definitely took me awhile to get that stand-up. However, I was able to write the script and edit the package that same day.

I also got to shadow Chris Horne on a murder trial. As soon as the trial ended, he ran outside to do his live shot. Chris truly did amazing. He was fluent in the details of the case and was able to explain everything in a way that anyone could understand.

Most recently, I got to go with Kiahnna on a story about a police officer who was recovering after being shot. She gave me lots of great advice on how to handle those situations.

Sitting at the beach for work is something I never would’ve imagined. After gathering interviews and b-roll, Ashley, Paul and I continued our work for the day at a restaurant on the pier called Ocean Eddie’s. We sat outside and had a view of the ocean. We shared a plate of fries while writing scripts and editing.

We moved back to the beach for Ashley’s evening live shots. In between, live shots Paul finished edits in the car. I did two different stand-ups at the beach, each in one take (which I was super proud of).

Being a reporter seems to be a grueling job. However, with these people on my side it’s been a 10/10 experience.