It was a big day in Newton County on June 18.

With budgets being passed, and a new commissioner and tax commissioner being elected into office, Newton County saw substantial change.

It was also a big day for me, too, as June 18 is my birthday.

This year I hit the big 2-3 mark, the [Michael] Jordan year as many refer to it.

I write a lot about how time flies and how things move faster than ever. That still rings true because it seemed like I was just turning 21.

I was asked multiple times over the last few days, ‘Do you feel older?’ The answer was, ‘Of course I do.’

You see, two years ago I was preparing a giant party at my old house in Milledgeville with all my close friends, with a few (legal) adult beverages, of course.

Two years later, I’m covering a runoff election and crunching budget numbers at my room in my parents’ house. Talk about the real world hitting you with a ton of bricks.

Those bricks hit me even harder when I was talking with another one of my friends who I graduated high school with about getting ‘old.’ She reminded me that 16-23 and 23-30 are the same distance apart.

I remember as a kid waiting to be 16 years old felt like ages to get there. You mean to tell me that I’ll be in my 30s that soon? Blasphemous.

All jokes aside, I did have a good birthday.

I celebrated with my family on the 16th with a nice grill out and went out for my birthday dinner at El Giro in Monticello on the 18th. Getting to wear a sombrero and having a bowl of fried ice cream was certainly one of the highlights of my day.

I also got to enjoy cake and ice cream here at work on the 19th. Though I did find out that I was not a fan of coconut and pineapple ice cream, no matter how much I tried to be.

With a quick look back at 22, I can say it was an up and down year.

I reached some new heights as a creative and have had the chance to break into the journalism industry. I’ve also gotten a chance to spend more time back at home and appreciate the time I have there before I inevitably go somewhere else.

There were some hard moments, though. The loss of my grandfather in October immediately comes to mind. I also think back to January when I lost my dog, Buddy. I miss them both every day and life has not been the same without them.

I also miss my friends in college and my college town Milledgeville. Admittedly, I don’t get to see them as much as I would like, and that gets me down at times.

But come to think of it, 22 was just one chapter of an unknown, finite story. The trials and tribulations I encountered in chapter 22, will only help prepare me for chapter 23 and the other chapters to come following that.

So here’s to another year full of adventures to come my way. It’s time to usher in the Jordan year.

Evan Newton is the news editor of The Covington News. He can be reached at enewton@covnews.com.