The minute Kristin Marzullo joined the staff of The Patriot, she knew journalism was her passion in life. The fast-paced atmosphere, the creativity, and the constant flow of work were things that made her feel like she was where she belonged.

Marzullo’s specific passion was photography. She was the person who refused to settle on a picture and needed to get it right every time.

Marzullo committed to Hofstra University with a $36,000 scholarship to major in journalism. “Writing has always had a huge impact on my life, as well as photography, and I needed a school that could give me both,” Marzullo said.  She was able to find a school that nurtured both her love for photography and would let her continue writing.

“I knew then that I wanted to be there. It’s a 40-minute train ride right outside of New York City, which I love. The campus is gorgeous and it’s big, not too big though, but just big enough where you’ll meet and see new people every day,” Marzullo said.

Although she will be away from her friends, she will still have all of her high school memories to cherish. One of her favorite memories in high school was “Clash Color Day” during her senior year. “That one day when you get to unite and show your class spirit is always the most fun,” Marzullo said.

Another one of Marzullo’s favorite memories was when she was able to go to the ESPN Rise NHSI tournament with the women’s basketball team to intern with members of ESPN. “It was probably the coolest experience, because I was allowed to feel what it was like to be a professional reporter and work as a sports reporter for ESPN. I even spoke to other writers from newspapers such as The Washington Post and even ESPN Rise. It was definitely an experience I won’t forget and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the newspaper,” Marzullo said.

Although she is excited about starting a new journey, she will miss the friends that she has to leave behind.

Taylor Hooper is a photographer for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com