I wrote my first story when I was six years old. It was about a leprechaun who lost his hat in the wind, only to find it later at the end of a rainbow. Cheesy, I know. But despite all its corniness, that story unlocked my passion for writing, which only continues to grow.

I joined The Express staff partly because I was a good writer and also because I wrote for The Oxford Herald in middle school. I wanted to see where my writing skills would take me.

Three years later here I am, Print Editor of The Express, and ready to pursue a journalism degree at Indiana University-Bloomington this fall.

I discovered my love for journalism through writing for this newspaper, and my writing only improved throughout my time on staff. However, I never would have improved so much if I didn’t love what I was doing.

During my time at Northwest, I’ve met many different people involved in crazy amounts of activities. These activities can help you find where you fit in, and help shape your personality. However, if you lack passion in what you do, your activities become more like a chore rather than something you enjoy.

From day one, we’re told high school is a time to try everything, with the hope that something will click and we’ll find our passion. But many students get stuck on the “try everything” part for all four years until they become so filled with activities, they barely have time to find what they love doing.

I’ve always been a huge stickler for dropping activities you don’t enjoy. It’s not fun to waste your time and energy for something you’re only doing for the resume. It’s better to have dedication and passion for one activity than spreading yourself too thin to the point where you lack substance in all your hobbies.

By pursuing your passions, you also open yourself up to finding something you want to do for the rest of your life. Dedicating countless hours to newspaper the past three years was exhausting, stressful and there were times where I wanted to quit. But by sticking with it and delving deeper into it, I realized I loved what I was doing, making all the stressful moments worth it.

In any activity, sport or hobby, there are going to be ups and downs. There are going to be times when you want to throw in the towel once and for all. But truly loving what you do makes the journey worth it and opens you up to becoming the best version of yourself.

Through my time on newspaper and band, I’ve become the best version of myself. I know if I continue pursuing my passions, I’ll be able to achieve a future where I really do love what I’m doing. It all starts with what you pursue in high school. Don’t waste your time on some resume-builder when you could be finding your passion.