Everyone has that weird, awkward thing they did as a kid: One of my friends used to act in foreclosure commercials and another would only leave the house if he was dressed as a policeman. But in hindsight, my go-to childhood quirk has turned out to be not so embarrassing after all — in fact, it has been tremendously formative to my growth as a writer and a person.

When I was in third grade, I created a blog where I shared my opinions on music and pop culture (dahlzette.blogspot.com, check it out!!!). In fifth grade, two friends and I made a website with games and other entertainment. Continuing with this trend of self-expression, when I entered eighth grade, I created a YouTube channel called BrighterthanthesunXO. I posted videos weekly, responded to viewers, and even partnered with YouTube and started making money within the first six months of creating content. Quickly enough, the channel garnered 7,000 subscribers and over 400,000 views.

By the time I entered high school, however, I no longer found excitement in editing videos or checking my subscriber count. I was busy with a new lifestyle, and my new extracurriculars took precedence over my YouTube personality. With a relentless desire to express my creative energy despite my life change, I turned to The Lion’s Tale. While I love writing and keeping myself updated on school and local news, what really pulled me into the high-energy, oftentimes intense atmosphere of the publications room was the opportunity it would give me to express myself.

When I look back on my three years on The Lion’s Tale staff and my 13 years at CESJDS, I feel grateful for these opportunities of self-expression. All over the world today, people are being silenced and persecuted for simply sharing their beliefs. So as I write this senior column, proud of the fact that my opinions and this self-reflection will be distributed to the school freely and genuinely, I feel privileged that JDS and The Lion’s Tale have given me an open landscape for self-expression and creativity.

As I move forward in life, I will hold on to the personal growth that I have experienced as a result of my freedom to express myself here, never forgetting that I, just like everyone else, have the fundamental right to shine BrighterthanthesunXO in my own way.