For the past two-and-a-half years I have been studying online journalism. This sounds crazy to say, especially if you knew me as a freshman. I was originally set on being in the business world. 

I came into college not knowing what I wanted. College had always been pushed down my throat by my mom, thanks to her two master’s degrees, so I genuinely had no choice in the matter. 

The only choice that I had was deciding my major and minor. At this point, I had no idea who I was as a person, so I picked the default answer for any questioning kid — business. 

I started my first year of college with so much stress, anxiety and depression thanks to loosely choosing my major. I ended my freshman year with a 2.6 GPA, only one point higher than what my scholarship required. Seeing how close I got to losing my scholarship made me realize that I had no choice but to make a change. 

I talked to multiple advisors and they all gave me the advice to switch to a journalism major. I was extremely nervous because my whole college experience as I knew it was about to change drastically. 

All the friends I had made, the professors I had gotten attached to — it was all gone. I had to start over from scratch. 

I spent my first year in the journalism department scared to talk to anyone, even the professors. I had lost my confidence in myself to be a good student and wanted to keep myself off of the radar for anything and everyone. 

I began to see a change in my grades, my mental health and my general well-being overall. I realized this was the path I was meant to be on.

Since finding the program, I have gained so much self-confidence. Without this program, I would not be the person I am today. 

Thanks to this program, and some of David Keith’s interviewing class, I am finally the outward person that I have always wanted to be. I have no issues talking to anyone and I crave experiences that will open my horizons. 

This may seem like an easy thing to accomplish but I promise you this would not be the case if I did not have the journalism program. 

I was pushed by my professors, especially David Keith, to actually learn and experience the world around me. This helps me, not only in the journalism world but also in my day-to-day life to truly have the life I want to experience. 

I have met some amazing people and found passion in so many different areas because journalism has given me the opportunity to write about it. Because of journalism, I even found my love for EDM music and the Arkansas scene that comes with it. 

Pick a college major that not only piques your interest but also one that will make you a better person. 

I want to say thank you to all of my professors, friends and all my friends in the Arkansas EDM scene. Without you guys, this senior column would not even have been a thought in my mind.