March 6, 2012. Spring break.

I’m at a Princeton University vs. University of Pennsylvania basketball game when the news comes in. I have an offer to join the staff at the Press & Dakotan to cover the education beat as a reporter, even though I’m not set to graduate from Michigan State University for another two months.

Without hesitation, I accept the offer, knowing life in South Dakota will be much different than what I have been accustomed to.

After growing up in New Jersey and going to school in Michigan, I became used to the hubbub of large cities and knew I’d be in for a different lifestyle coming all the way out to South Dakota for my first job out of college.

During April 2012, I decided I would come out to check out Yankton and look for an apartment. I quickly realized how nice the town was and how nice the people in the community were. Everyone in the community and at the P&D quickly made me feel right at home and made my transition from the urban to rural much more manageable.

I moved into my apartment in Yankton that Memorial Day weekend, and started at the P&D a few days later. With a lot of help from coworkers and members of the community, I quickly felt at home and was able to build sources within the community.

As time went on, I continued to realize how good of a decision I made to make the move from the urban areas I was used to all the way to the South Dakota rural life.

By the time winter came, I had to take six weeks off of work to deal with surgery and recovery. After that happened, I felt a lot of support from members of the community for my well-being and speedy recovery.

When I arrived back in Yankton in January, the support continued. People would walk up to me seeing how I was feeling and wishing me nothing but the best as my recovery continued in Yankton.

Although my classmates at Michigan State gave me a hard time for making the move to Yankton from the big cities I’m used to, I have felt nothing but love and support from the Yankton community.

Sources that I’ve built within the community, particularly those at the Yankton School District (YSD) and Mount Marty College (MMC), have been honest and willing to speak to me about a number of issues ranging from budget problems, to events, to the hiring of a new superintendent.

However, after more than a year in Yankton with the P&D, it is time for me to say goodbye.

I have accepted a new position close to home in New Jersey that keeps me in the newspaper industry, but working in a new capacity.

Instead of focusing heavily on reporting and page design like I have during the past year in Yankton, I will have an even greater emphasis on page design and social media.

Instead of being a three-hour plane ride from home, I’ll be a two-hour drive from home and within an hour or two of the biggest cities on the East Coast, including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.

I am excited for the change, but will also miss a lot about my time here in Yankton.

I’ll miss the friends I’ve met, sources I’ve built and my job here at the P&D.

Press & Dakotan publisher Gary Wood, managing editor Kelly Hertz and sports editor James Cimburek, all of whom I interviewed with on the phone, took a chance on me fresh out of college and months before I graduated, and I cannot thank them enough for doing so.

I will miss a lot about Yankton and thank everyone for making me feel right at home from the day I moved here up until the time I leave next week.

You can follow Andrew Atwal on Twitter at twitter.com/andrewatwal