Since my youth, I have been drawn to books and words. I think this can be attributed in part to the fact that I have always had introverted tendencies. A book captivated me more than human conversation. I would get lost in the worlds of my favorite characters.

When I entered my junior year of high school, I was recommended to be a member of the Honors English class. This instigated a radical change in my writing. My teacher possessed a deep passion for words – a passion that spilled over just a “text book” knowledge. We rarely learned directly from a reference source. She spoke from the wealth of knowledge in her brain to teach us how to better ourselves as writers.

And, oh, how I learned.

Every pencil scratch, frowny face, and revision taught me how to refine my writing. At first, I struggled. I liked writing and had thoughts in my mind, but I just could not seem to get them to transfer smoothly onto my pages. As I progressed through my junior year and into my senior year, my skills slowing developed. Grammar became a living entity in my mind rather than a bothersome part of the english curriculum. Words – their meanings, roots, and connotations – began to solidify in my thinking.

In March, an add in the newspaper for a summer photojournalism internship was brought to my attention by my grandad. The description said that any applicants needed to have finished at least their sophomore year of college. I knew that I was a bit young, but I decided to call and inquire about the position anyway. I was declined as an applicant for that internship and, instead, referred to the editor of “Freestyle,” the Intelligencer’s weekly teen section. I filled out the application and was accepted as a part of the Freestyle staff.

My first nine months as a journalist have given me quality exposure to media writing. (Did I mention that I am majoring in Communications?) I love it. I honestly do. I am so privileged to have the chance to dip my toes in the ocean of communications as a young writer.

Would you like to see journalism through the eyes of a young writer?

Here I am; welcome to my little writing world.