I only got into hockey when I arrived at Boston University and realized there was no collegiate baseball or football — the only two sports I actually paid attention to.

I was vaguely aware the team was good, and I knew Seattle had just gotten an NHL team of its own. It only seemed fair that I gave hockey a shot.

The sport hooked me immediately.

What I had always loved about sports was the community around it, and the hockey community is particularly tight-knit even though the sport continues to grow.

The NHL drew more than 23 million fans this past regular season, setting the league’s single-season record. This number isn’t impressive on its own — especially considering the NFL drew nearly 19 million fans in only 17 games and overall NHL viewership is the lowest out of the big four leagues in the United States after the NFL, NBA and MLB — but through the course of the 82-game season, every arena for every game was at an average of nearly 97% capacity.

This is in conjunction with extremely high ticket prices, at an average of $94.

Hockey fans shell out to show out, myself included. I have dumped my wallet out onto the metaphorical floor of the TD Garden ticket office too many times over the four years I’ve spent in Boston.

To further cement my obsession and my unhealthy spending habits, I spent money to travel to these games, too.

As a credentialed member of the media, I drove all over New England, flew to North Dakota, Ireland, Ohio and St. Louis, all for the sake of BU hockey. I spent my most recent birthday driving seven hours to Ottawa to see my favorite player while sitting in the cheapest glass tickets in the league.

Nothing has hit with quite the same dopamine rush as capturing an emotional moment as a photographer, and I will spend the rest of my career chasing that high.

Hockey hasn’t just taken my money and my time, but it’s given me so much in return.

I initially bonded with one of my current best friends because I let her judge my fantasy hockey team three years ago.

I’ve built a portfolio I’m proud of and found a career path I’m excited to continue to pursue.

I have some amazing souvenirs: two sticks, tossed over the glass to me by Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer and Utah Hockey Club captain — and former Terrier — Clayton Keller, both of which immediately caused me to dissolve into an inconsolable mess. Keller has also tossed me two pucks, and Jeremy Swayman, the Alaskan goaltender of the Boston Bruins, handed one to me because I brought our shared state flag to practice.

More than anything, hockey has given me a new community.

I’ve made friends through hockey. My professional network has grown through hockey as I poke around for jobs doing anything in the industry. I have spoken to some of the kindest, most interesting people while trying to tell hockey stories.

Hockey has been a close, supportive space for me. Wearing a BU jersey gives me a lot of pride because only a certain number of people will be able to recognize it and respect it.

The sport has also helped me connect with the community I grew up in. I had no idea, spending the first 18 years of my life in Alaska, that hockey runs deep in the veins of the state. The sport exemplifies the extreme aspects of the land’s beauty and the toughness of its people. Hockey is one of the few ways to make the long, icy winters feel shorter.

I owe a lot to hockey.

I plan to keep dedicating more and more of my life to helping people appreciate it as much as I do, and I can only hope it can continue returning the favor.