By: Diya Varma, Contributing Writer
Edited by: Eve Nevelos, Editor in Chief; Valeri Guevarra, Founder/Executive Director
I discovered my passion for writing in fourth grade. Since then, it has always been an outlet for me; I can express myself freely through my writing. I fell in love with the English language, and every time someone asked me what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be, my answer was always the same: a journalist. When I feel overwhelmed, journaling or composing poetry helps me feel better. However, during a particularly trying period in eighth grade, I found that even writing couldn’t help me fully express my feelings, so I stopped. For three years, I could not write anything - assignments, letters, or even an email.
In January 2021, I came across a reel uploaded by the Teen Health 101 account on my Instagram explore page, and I was intrigued. I decided to take a chance and apply for an editing position, as I’d been editing for my school’s newspaper for a few years. However, I was asked if I wanted to be considered for a writing position. Although I knew I hadn’t written well in a while, something about TH101 spoke to me (as cheesy as it may sound), so I agreed. About a month later, I received an email stating that I’d been accepted as a contributing writer, and I was overjoyed. I thought this would be good for me and jumpstart my writing career again, and I was right.
Writing for Teen Health 101 has opened my mind and eyes to many things I once knew nothing about. I truly have learned so much and can now express myself through my writing again. I love writing about mental health- it is something I am particularly passionate about. I’ve always wanted to help those struggling with their mental health, as it is something I went through myself. Teen Health 101 has allowed me to do so, and I will always be grateful for this. Writing is undoubtedly one of my passions, and while I may no longer want to pursue it as a full-time profession, I enjoy researching and writing about new things. I like to consider the time I spend writing “me time”, as something about putting pen to paper (or listening to the sound of my keyboard) is refreshing.
I have sincerely enjoyed my time writing for TH101 and will continue to do so. I am thankful for the many opportunities this initiative has given me, and I can’t wait to learn more.
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