I was thinking about an old advisor of mine in college. My first, and only time, meeting with him, he degraded me, told me the major I wanted to choose was a “stupid major” and that I wouldn’t make it.

I left his office crying that day. I called my mom to complain, told her how horrible he was and that I wasn’t just upset, I was mad. She told me he wasn’t a nice person and I shouldn’t listen to him, like any good mom would do. But then she told me to prove him wrong.

So I did.

He said I couldn’t make it, changing my major the summer after my sophomore year, and that if I did, it would take me three more years.

I graduated in a total of three and a half. He said my grades would fall. So I graduated magna cum laude. He said no one would hire me. But here I am.

Three years ago, when I took the stage to receive my diploma, I proved him wrong.

It wasn’t, and it isn’t, easy. But I did it.

And every day I get to tell the stories of people in this community. That doesn’t mean I make everyone happy every day. But for that one person that tells me how they framed a story or photograph of mine and it’s now hanging on the wall, or that grandmother that comes in to buy 10 papers just because her grandbaby’s name made it in, it’s worth it.

Some days I feel unaccomplished and unappreciated and I wonder why I’m doing this, but then I shake myself off and remember I’m part of the community too. And people want to know what’s going on. Good news, bad news, they deserve to know.  And for the advisor that didn’t give me much advice, I may not make as much as a lawyer or doctor, but I get to tell the stories of people that matter. Every day, I see people on social media share a photo, or story that somehow touched them. And I get to be part of that. It’s a special thing.

When I went and saw that advisor that day, I had no idea what I would be doing later in life, and honestly, I still don’t. But I’m happy where I’m at now.

I got to listen to Congresswoman Terri Sewell speak to 22 juvenile delinquents Monday about the choices they make and how although their circumstances may not be ideal, they ultimately choose their own destination. That resonated with me. I was lucky enough to grow up in a loving home where my mom would literally miss work to drive across town to give me my homework I left in the car. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard sometimes.  And my mom did everything in her power to make sure I got to college.

But what I did there, and what I’m doing now, that’s me. With the support of her and my family, I proved that advisor wrong. And I’m going to work every single day to continue proving him wrong because what I do matters too.