I never thought I would be someone who would willingly put themselves out there, willingly talk to people I’ve never met, willingly let myself feel uncomfortable. But now, that’s just how I am.
For as long as I can remember, I was always someone who chose to be quiet, even when I had something to say. I just wanted to draw as little attention to myself as possible. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe how much that version of me has changed.
However, once I got to high school, something in me slowly began to shift, and that was because of journalism. It didn’t happen all at once, but little by little, I was pushed out of my comfort zone in ways I never expected. I had no option but to go out there and be a reporter. From my very first day until now, I have been constantly interviewing people. I remember setting up my first interview; it was one of the scariest things in the world. I was willingly putting myself out there.
Even after that first interview, it didn’t magically get easy. In fact, for a while, it still felt just as intimidating. The night before interviews, I would lie awake thinking, “I’m going to have to go talk to someone I’ve never met.” What made it even scarier was that I was a freshman, and most of the people I interviewed were juniors and seniors. But day by day, without really realizing it, I kept growing and getting used to being uncomfortable.
By the start of my junior year, the growth started to show. I felt more confident trying new things, even though the discomfort never fully went away. That year, I became interested in photography, which was something completely new for me. I had always been just a reporter, writing stories, but now I was one of the editors-in-chief, editing stories, leading the class, and I was ready to step into another role.
The first game I ever photographed was a football game at Norris, and I can still remember that night so vividly, because I was so nervous to do something new again. But just like before, I still did it. And over time, that one moment turned into something I genuinely loved. Now, some of my favorite memories are those Friday nights, taking photos and talking with everyone.
I’ve never been someone who loves yelling and cheering, and I never played a school sport since I barrel raced, and that’s outside of school. Because of that, photography gave me the best of both worlds. I could be involved, connect with people, and still have the freedom to step away and do my own thing behind the camera.
One thing that always surprises me is when people come up to me and say they look up to me, that they want to do what I do. I’m always taken aback. I never imagined I would be someone younger girls would look up to, but it’s one of the best feelings. It makes everything, the discomfort, the fear, feel worth it.
Now, as a senior getting ready to move to Wyoming for college, only knowing a few people, I sometimes stop and think, “How in the world did I get here?” It feels like just yesterday I was that quiet freshman, and now I’m stepping into something completely new again. I know my life is still just beginning, but in these four years, I’ve already grown and accomplished more than I ever thought possible.
In the future, I don’t plan to pursue journalism, but I want to honor it every chance I get, because it made me who I am today. Without being pushed out of the classroom to interview people, I might still be the girl sitting quietly in the back, trying to talk to as few people as possible.
That same growth is what’s pushing me into my next chapter. I plan to major in Spanish and finance, with a minor in real estate, and pursue a career in commercial real estate. And even though that path looks different from journalism, I know I’m taking the same confidence and willingness to step outside my comfort zone with me.
And when I think about everything it took to get here, I know my younger self would be in awe of the person I’ve become.
