2 Legit. 2 Legit 2 Quit.

Yesterday I had my first story published online with the Salt Lake Tribune. My first article was about.......pet chicken limits. Now, I know what you're thinking. How did they trust such a newbie journalist to cover such a wide reaching and vitally important topic as pet chicken limits, but I'm just THAT amazing. (link to my Trib article if you haven't read it yet!)

!!!!! SO LEGITIMATE !!!!!

I attended a Riverton city Planning Committee meeting on Thursday night where I heard from the city's officials and only two community members, but it's still pretty cool to see my name associated with the Salt Lake Tribune because I really respect the kind of news they cover in Utah.

I never wanted to intern with the Deseret News because I feel like being a BYU student I already have that stigma of being Ultra Conservative Queen, and I just want to be known for my journalistic talents, and now for who or what I vote for. I want readers to appreciate the work I put out because it's good, and not because they agree with my political views. I'm a girl, so being mysterious is something we should always deem important. If you can figure me out in a few minutes I'll feel like a failure.

My sister brought my niece to visit me at work!

On top of being a legitimately published journalist, I finally quit the homeless existence I had come accustomed to and moved into my new home! I love it! I've spent the past two days unpacking and organizing. Humans collect way too much unnecessary junk, but I'm so excited for this new place! Especially because I'm surrounded by very good company. I can't wait to be able to have weekends to chill out and especially to be able to always go to church on Sundays!

Last semester I worked with special needs adults at their group home and a lot of the time I drove them to church on Sundays, missing church, or worked the full day on Sunday and missed activities, but this semester all of my jobs will be during the week. That's right, I said jobS! Plural!

Not only am I a part-time intern with the Trib, but I'm also the web content editor for BYU's 11 News and the opinion editor for BYU's newspaper, The Universe. I'm going to be a busy girl, but I can't wait for it all to start, and especially to be surrounded by my journalism friends again!!

2014 has definitely been my year.

p.s. I'll post pictures of my room once I'm all finished decorating and beautifying.

BYU: The start to my future finish line.

If you would have had a conversation with me a few years ago about my future and what it held for me, it would not have been a very enthralling dialogue. How interesting to come to the realization that good things truly do come to those who not only wait, but get out there and put forth the effort. My life is starting to become a true testament of just that.

I never expected to even get into Brigham Young University, and even after I did I wasn't quite sure if I was even interested in attending. I knew that if I graduated from a religious institution, such as BYU, that there would undoubtedly be a stigma attached to my degree of being overly conservative, and as a journalist, that was NOT something that I wanted.

But, I was prompted to attend BYU. After my first semester I knew I was in the right place, but I wasn't able to take core classes for my major (broadcast journalism), and it really just led me to continue to be unenthusiastic about living in Utah and my future. I felt I was guided to BYU for a reason, but I had never felt more alone or uninspired by my surroundings. Why had my Heavenly Father dropped me in this place and then forgotten about me?

Capital West News Team

Everything changed after I was able to take classes in Salt Lake City and cover the Legislature at Utah's Capitol building (CapWestNews). I've never been known for my deep investment in politics, but after being able to cover all bills, rallies, and meetings affecting the LGBT community it just truly sparked my desire to become a serious journalist. The connections I made with my classmates as well as my professors helped me to finally realize why I moved to Utah in the first place. It finally clicked. I had made true friends, and loved getting up in the morning and being surrounded by such inspiring people whose goals in life mirrored that of my own.

One of my classes was taught by a reporter from the Salt Lake Tribune and it was because of this class that I was able to be suggested for the internship that I was blessed with less than a month ago. I landed a part-time paid political desk internship at the Salt Lake Tribune which I have been doing since the beginning of August helping with their political blog, Political Cornflakes. I just received my first real writing assignment and I'm so incredibly nervous, but just so excited to learn from veteran journalists who have so much to teach me! Like I said, I've never been the queen of politics, but when amazing opportunities fall into your lap you just take advantage of it and enjoy the extraordinary experience.

I really look forward to soaking it all in. This time in my life has been the most difficult, but also the most rewarding. It's taken me longer than most to realize what I wanted to do and be, but now that I know, I plan on putting in more than 100 percent. For those that took the time to read this far, just know that it's really never too late to go after your dreams. I won't graduate till 2016 when I'm 26, but I know I'll be happy and further than I would have been if I had stood still in my comfort zone back in San Diego. Having direction in my life has become one of the best gifts I've ever been given. Finally knowing where I'm going and what I truly want is literally the best feeling in the world, and I hope you all feel like you're in the right place at the right time because there's really nothing better. Let the learning begin.