I’ve always carried a stigma about letting people down. During the first grade every couple of months we would pin a piece of paper onto the door to show what we wanted to be in when we grew up. I wanted to be as authentic as possible, so naturally as an adolescent, I chose to be a hairstylist.

As I got called up, I strutted passionately to put my paper on the door. Moving away to let people see what I wanted to be, it was a horrific feeling to be laughed at. Ever since then, I was insecure about what I wanted to be.

Fast forward to high school, I joined an early college program where I was faced with a conflict that I find to be big for a 13-year-old. What will I major in? Looking at my options, there wasn’t very much, but as I sat there on the floor in my mom’s room, I remember watching an anime where one of the character’s mom was a graphic designer.

There it is. I want to be a graphic designer! Scrolling through the degree plans on my computer I was fast with my fingers. Only to scroll all the way to the bottom with no plan for graphic design. So, I chose the next best thing, journalism and public relations.

Luckily for me, my high school did have a graphic design class. Little did I know by joining that endorsement I would soon find not only a career, but myself.

By the end of my semester… my now past advisor, Vannesa Martinez, pushed me to apply for the yearbook. I thought about it hard, so hard in fact, I missed the deadline for the application. Walking to school was more dreadful than usual. “There goes my opportunity to explore my passion,” I thought.

Walking to that class, I dragged my feet knowing I would probably lose the relationship I had with my teacher just because I was irresponsible. As I sat down to finish my final project, I felt a tug in my hair. “Did you apply to be a design editor?” Martinez asked and looked down at me. As I explained my situation, she shook her head and gave me a day extension. That was single handily the best thing I have done for myself. 

Throughout yearbook, from serving as design editor to editor-in-chief, being nationally recognized and meeting amazing people like Mike Taylor and Jim Jordan. I knew my heart was in journalism.

Now joining The Prospector, I found my sanctuary, full of people who even though I have known them for only a month, I still consider them lifelong friends. It’s such a different environment when you are in a room full of people with whom you share the same interests. A room I have never been in.

Being laughed at for wanting to be a hairstylist to now having a story on the front cover of a newspaper is something I forever will be proud of.

Mia Colmenero is the layout editor for The Prospector and may be reached at @[email protected]