“Come in, come in!”, I beckon at the door.

“Please, my dear, sit down grab some tea. Let me teach you all I know, all I am, and all I stand for.”

I grab a cup for my company, pour the kettle of tea, and criss-cross my legs: the perfect storytelling position.

“My child, this world is full of chaos, hatred, and inaccurate journalism,” I whisper “Fox News” under my breath, “but this is the time for The Seminole Newspaper to bring justice to this school. This year, as the Editor-in-Chief, I will stretch my limbs and exercise my right to freedom of speech in order to bring my peers the precious jewel of information. Without us, without the absolute and whole truth, what crazy things might our peers believe in?”

I shake my head at the odious thought.

“I must apologize for my slight rant, but there’s no need to fear. For there are others like me in this world: Slytherins. Along with being an ambitious Slytherin, I’m also a vegetarian and,” sigh “it’s true, I’m also a feminist.”

I take a long sip of tea in order to regain my thoughts.

“I’m just trying to make it in this world, okay? It’s a big place, but it’s also pretty small if you look at it in the perspective of the universe. Just try your best and follow these simple guidelines: be kind to your peers, do whatever you want, wear whatever you want, stand up for yourself, and never stop believing, kid. Most importantly, never and I mean never, let someone ruin your dreams.”

I gaze towards my now empty cup. Time to start this brand new day.

Another day to stand up for what I believe in. Another step towards becoming a journalist. Another chance to improve myself.

As I look up, I stare into my own reflection.

My mirror enjoys our morning pep talks.