I never wanted to be a writer. In high school, I thought of myself as mediocre at best when it came to English classes and I had no desire to pursue a career path that forced me into writing research papers (my least favorite part about high school).

So when I came to college as a graphic design major, I assumed I would take that one mandatory literature class and put writing behind me. But I was sorely mistaken after taking my first-year seminar, a class that revolved around writing. My professor, Dr. Martha Reid, somehow convinced me that I wasn’t as terrible at writing as I thought. And then in my sophomore year, after much deliberation and soul-searching, I decided to design a communications major that focused on writing arts and its influence in our world.

As I learned more about the different avenues one can take when studying writing and English, I was able to construct a route for myself that let me focus my interests. I was able to study theatre, journalism, and rhetorical studies, all under the umbrella of English. And as I got more invested in the English program at Moravian, I unearthed other opportunities that added a sense of wholeness to my college career.

Joining The Comenian is definitely one of those experiences I wish I had taken advantage of sooner. I was a fair-weather reporter who only came to meetings when I remembered or had the time and rarely volunteered to write an article. Then as my senior year crept up and I started to learn more about reporting in my journalism class, I committed to the paper and set out to write stories that were compelling to me.

The great part about being a reporter is that it gave me the opportunity to write about topics that were important to me. The Comenian gave me a platform to voice my thoughts on social, political, and campus issues. Most recently, I got the chance to cover a political event among national reporters and witness what it’s like to work in that profession.

And even though I don’t necessarily want to be a journalist post-grad, writing for The Comenian helped me build my portfolio, fine-tune my writing skills, cover meaningful material, and write alongside a really wonderful staff of talented and genuine students.

Thank you to The Comenian reporters and editors, Professor Harris, and all of the English department for the support, growth, and camaraderie over my years at Moravian. And a special thank you to Dr. Fodrey for fiercely encouraging me and fostering a love for the writing arts.