On August 17th, 2022, I walked into Mr. Livingston’s Journalism class, not knowing that this was the career I would fall in love with. 

So many thoughts went through my head. Is this too much, or am I even a worthy writer? Sitting in class for the first time, I thought maybe I should switch out. But  ultimately I decided to stay.

And I’m glad I made that decision. 

Before graduating from Wilson Middle School, I knew I wanted to major in journalism after high school, and it sparked my interest because of public speaking. While applying for classes and electives for my freshman year, I saw Journalism as one of the courses offered here at Glendale High School. Without hesitation, I marked it off as one of my electives. 

Walking into the class, I never knew I would gain the passion I now have for simply writing articles, and later, being the co-creator of Mic It Up. This class made my dreams even bigger, knowing I am capable of doing so much more–not just writing articles, but having a voice to share with the world. 

The first day of my freshman year feels like, when Mr. Livingston was introducing everyone to what this class would focus on. He thoroughly explained how to write articles in each genre, including opinion, features, spotlight and review. As he was explaining, I started stressing and almost thought about dropping this class after that first day of class. 

My first ever article was a review of Top Gun: Maverick, and I wrote a description about the movie, without giving away any spoilers. When I look back at it, I made it more difficult for myself, because I didn’t understand how to write a review article. Mr. Livingston noticed how I was struggling, but he was able to guide me on how to properly write these articles. After that day, I was able to write more efficiently and understand my strengths and weaknesses. 

From that point on, I definitely knew that writing is my passion. Over the course of a year in our journalism class, you typically write nine articles, but instead, I wrote twenty of them. I still remember asking Mr. Livingston if I could write more than he had assigned, and he replied, “Never ask. Write as much as you want.” That was a motivation for me to write a bunch of articles in his class.

Every day, I was inspired to write something new, while also stepping out of my comfort zone. Being able to write for the Explosion website helped me realize what I want to be doing for the rest of my life, not only as a journalist but as a sports broadcaster. 

Throughout my four years as a part of Nitro Press, I have been writing about movies and TV shows, politics, our school community, culture and sports. From writing about players, or even an entire sports team, it got me thinking that I want to expand my knowledge in this field. 

As a member of the Explosion staff, I have gained experience I will never forget. At the beginning of my senior year, I was invited by our football coach, Manuel Lemus, to attend and cover their weekly Quarterback Club. This was my first invitation event, and I was asked as a reporter to write a story about it. Being there, I was able to network with Spiro Psaltis and Kevin Danni, and they welcomed me into the journalism community. 

Because of them, I was able to gain experience, like attending the Award Ceremony of the Quarterback Club and the Southern California Sports Broadcasters. These ceremonies were extraordinary, because I was sharing a space with numerous journalists. Networking with them inspired me to keep on going with my dreams. One piece of advice they told me is that I will face many rejections until I receive my first big yes.

I am not only grateful for these experiences, but I also created a platform called Mic It Up with Sophia Tshabourian to showcase our Nitro athletes to the public. With limited resources, we still made it possible, with just a phone and a microphone. 

All the viewers who watched and reached out to us to interview captains or players have made this journey worthwhile. Sophia and I both knew that this was just the beginning of our careers, and we allowed our athletes to express their voices and to show their character. Not only that, but we were able to live out our dreams as reporters.

For anyone out there curious about what they hope to accomplish in their future, trust your instincts and get out there. Sometimes you have to try things without knowing if it is meant for you. 

And, Nitros, if you or anyone you know is interested in joining Nitro Press, talk with Mr. Livingston to find out more about this class. 

This is your Explosion editor-in-chief, signing out.