Finding the right path that best suits you

     After a night of Googling, three years of schooling, an associate’s degree and a pile of published articles later, I finally found my niche. Sure, I’ve really liked writ­ing, but it wasn’t until two weeks ago that I fell head over heels with the craft.

    “Being a writer you can never plan on hitting it rich so you better be doing what you love,” my journalism professor once said. Finding that just right journalism job at the perfect newspaper is still a work in progress I must admit, but at least I’ve dis­covered what I’m good at and what I love.

     When choosing a career we as stu­dents must discover our interests and ex­plore many different options before calling it quits or changing our majors. I almost made that mistake until writing my last story. It reminded me of the type of writing I was born to do and about why I started journalism in the first place.

     I’ve always enjoyed scene setting and the involvement of real people living in the real world. I love sharing the stories of oth­ers, making a difference in their lives if just for a moment, and in those who read the piece. That sense of wonder, amazement, warmth, encouragement or maybe hope, is what I rest my reporter’s hat on at the end of the day.

     It’s not about the kind of awards we win, but about the rewards we receive from the people’s lives we’ve changed, bringing criminals to justice, offering closure and support, or sharing a compelling story with the world. It’s what makes me proud to be a journalist and what will keep me writing better articles each week.

     Regardless of what it is in your life or in your college career, don’t let the fears of failure and striking out keep you from achieving your goal or hidden potential.

     I have always wanted to write cre­atively, but I was unwilling to take the risk, afraid of what others would say because it wasn‘t safe or standard. It was the best de­cision I ever made and the story was a great success. I did it, not because it was what I thought others wanted, but because it was what I loved doing.

     You might not always succeed every time when you try something out of the norm, but that’s expected. Stepping outside of your comfort zone might end up put­ting you in the right place at the right time. Why not take a chance and find that per­fect path that best suits you? It’s worth it.