Hoda Kotb has been hanging out with NBC for 25 years!

As she celebrated the career milestone on Thursday’s episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, a clip of some of Kotb’s journalism highlights flashed by. It managed to capture all of her many phases of reporting at NBC — and some of her fun looks.

“I have to tell ya, I was totally — and continue to be totally shocked,” Kotb, 58, told co-anchor Jenna Bush Hager. “In fact, my mom texted me — she didn’t know — and she took a screengrab of the screen and wrote, ‘Oh, wow. 25!’”

“It’s been such a fun 25 years,” she continued. “And I wondered why, in any relationship you have — whether you’re in a relationship with a friend, or boyfriend, or even a job. You wonder, ‘How does it not feel like all those years? And I think it’s because it kept changing.”

Kotb reflected on her early days at NBC, which included years spent at Dateline.

→ Swipe to see more articles

Related Posts

The Emotional Reason Hoda Kotb Is Missing *Again* From the Today Show

Hoda Kotb reveals she is leaving NBC’s Today Show in shock announcement

“UPDATE: Chiefs’ Latest Move Brings Patrick Mahomes’ Impressive Streak to a Sudden Halt!”

“The 5 Most Shocking Morning Show Firings of All Time – Including Tamron Hall, Ann Curry, and Megyn Kelly!”

Rarely-seen nepo babies walk red carpet at A-list Hollywood actor step-dad’s premiere – can you guess their famous mum?

BREAKING NEWS!!! Savannah Guthrie sparks confusion with abrupt Today absence but quickly reveals sweet reason for missing show

“I worked for Dateline for many years and loved it. When I first got hired, I felt unworthy of that job, and I remembered them saying ‘Change your hair, change your clothes, change this, change that,’ like nothing was wrong about me,” Kotb said. “I kind of felt like I was putting a circle in a square trying to fit.”

Still, she became known for being a clear-cut reporter — and was nearly passed over for Today entirely.

“If you’ve ever been one of those people who’s been put in a box, and I was because I only covered hard news … when the lighter fare came up, like this show, the bosses were very, early on, sort of against me getting it,’” she said. “They were just like, ‘not her. She’s boring. Don’t pick her.’”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Kotb remembered how Amy Rosenblum was “one person who fought for me,” and ultimately opened the door to her more lighthearted reporting. She challenged herself to shake the “boring” and be herself. “I didn’t realize, imperfections are actually what makes something work better,” she said.

Another insight from Kotb on her special 25 years: “You just have to keep evolving.”