Most of you reading this don&8217;t know me yet, but you will soon.

I&8217;m the new staff writer here at the Shelby County Reporter, and being the new kid on the block gives one a slightly different perspective.

May 10 &045;&045; not even two weeks ago &045;&045; I graduated from Auburn University with a degree in English and journalism. Graduation day&8217;s one of those experiences that&8217;s just completely surreal &045;&045; you don&8217;t even know what&8217;s going on until, suddenly, it&8217;s over.

I don&8217;t think it&8217;s even sunk in yet that I have a real job and that my entire life has changed in the space of a few days.

My first day, I filled out my paperwork, signed up for my 401(k) and found myself staring life straight in the face. That was a surreal moment, too.

Now it&8217;s my fifth day on the job and things are starting to settle down. In the whirlwind of the past two weeks, I have actually managed to notice how lovely Shelby County is.

The roads I drive on to get to work are naturally beautiful, and Columbiana itself is a sweetly Southern town full of charm and whimsy.

On my first day here, my boss asked if I had seen &8220;the bicycles,&8221; and I had no idea what he was talking about. Of course, once I walked to lunch the next day and nearly fell over the artfully decorated Davis Drug Snack Bar bicycles, I got it. As soon as I got my feet back under me, I was utterly delighted.

The people here are welcoming, the streets are pretty and the food is good. This is the kind of town they try to embody in movies like &8220;Steel Magnolias,&8221; and trust me, that&8217;s a compliment.

I think I&8217;m going to like it here.