As I get ready to leave the halls of Norwin High School, I can’t help but look back on how far I’ve come and how the once timid freshman who walked in that bright Monday morning in 2018 has finally found where she belongs.

When I first started high school, I was unsure on what I really wanted to do with my life and what classes would lead me to my true calling. After switching my freshman schedule a number of times during the end of my 8th grade year, I landed on an elective called Intro to Journalism. Unbeknownst to me, this simple schedule request was the best decision I could have ever made.

Being a shy freshman, I didn’t speak up much and oftentimes found myself silencing my voice. However, in this class it was different. From the second I stepped into room 219, I immediately felt at home. I was able to dive deeper into writing and discover a true passion for covering news. The shy freshman who feared she didn’t know where she belonged found her niche, and it has stuck with her year after year. After I completed Intro to Journalism, the next step was signing up for Newspaper Production my sophomore year.

Deciding to take that class my sophomore year has led me to two lifelong friendships I will always cherish and a new understanding on reporting, interviewing, and all the basics journalists like David Muir prioritize. Since 10th grade, I have taken newspaper every year since then and have made even more friendships, lifelong memories, and a respect for Punxsutawney Phil and his contributions to our country. This year, I was even named the Krier’s Secretary as well as Social Media Coordinator leading us to finally starting an Instagram account! Through running this account, I discovered another love of managing social media accounts and interacting with audiences digitally.

This love for writing has also led me to taking multiple other English electives including Shakespeare, Public Speaking, Creative Writing, and more. I even currently serve as an editor and officer for AEONS, the Creative Writing magazine. If it wasn’t for Intro to Journalism, Newspaper, or Mr. Fleckenstein, who knows where I’d be right now.

Because of these classes, I found a passion and my niche. This fall I will be pursuing a degree in Communications where I can hopefully share my love for media, writing, and interacting with others. So, if you’re a scared or unsure freshman, sophomore, maybe junior, and honestly senior, take a breath. You will find where you belong. Your niche is out there, it’s just waiting for you to come find it.