The second I heard a whisper about what college was in elementary, I was hooked. I spent countless hours on my father’s computer researching different majors and colleges across the world, ever bored about the now and curious about what’s ahead (in my case, eight years ahead to be exact).
One Saturday night in 7th grade, I discovered the field of journalism, and it felt as though I had just begun the rest of my life. An opportunity to ask questions about everything, learn about the nitty-gritty, hear from every voice, and most especially, see everyone and everything for what it is. To be in the NEWS!
A space to put my household nickname of “English teacher” to use? Sign. me. up.
When I joined The University Star in May 2023, I knew I had found that space that cultivated what it meant to be a journalist.
In September 2023, when my first published article landed under the fold on the front page, I could not get to campus faster to collect every copy. I took a selfie with the byline landing next to my twinkling, slightly tearful, but overjoyed eyes. Looking back at that photo now, I see inklings of the journalist I would become during my time at Texas State and The Star starting to form.
I cannot thank my father enough for answering countless questions about almost every topic under the sun since the day I was born. The journalist in me was born out of you.
To my sister, thank you, thank you, thank you for being the editor of my dreams and nightmares. You deserve an award for answering the question “Does this even make sense?” at least 1,000 times. Thank you not only for always reading what I write, but embracing what I do hands down. We’ll never know who the better writer is.
After three years in the Sports section at The Star, I feel proud to have advocated for women’s sports while, at times, being the only woman in the room. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to have been a voice for students across sports.
To entrust me with their stories of illness, family struggles and failure was not a light task. I feel honored to have spoken to so many individuals from across the world and to hear about their history in sport and how they came to be; it unlocked a new world for me.
As I close out my time at The Star, I think about my childhood self and her eagerness to find a space she can run wild and find herself in. I have no doubt I have fulfilled her dream, and I can only thank The University Star and Texas State for aiding that 7th grader in an even greater experience than she ever fathomed.
