Originally I had no intention of joining FLUX my junior year of college, for a pretty good reason: I had very little professional writing experience. But I applied anyway, figuring, “Why not?” Never in my life would I have thought that this decision would lead me to report on a small town in Oregon that I had absolutely no connections to. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be covering events that, while happening in Oregon, would resemble events elsewhere in the country.

I heard about the town of Newberg, Oregon, after a fellow FLUX staff member mentioned how the school board was trying to pass policies that restricted political signs in the classroom. Immediately I became interested and decided I wanted to get the perspectives of the students. They’re the ones sitting in the classrooms, so I wanted to know how they felt. I took a leap of faith, posted a message on Facebook to a Newberg community group, and hoped that people would respond. The next morning I woke up to almost 30 messages from people who wanted to talk.

After five months of researching, interviewing and writing, I still can’t believe I made it to the finish line. The number of story drafts I turned in is too high to count. Most nights I read my drafts to my roommates so I could hear what did and didn’t sound right. To look at the very first draft versus the printed version, I’m sure only thing that stayed the same: the byline.

To anyone out there who feels imposter syndrome when it comes to writing, you’re not alone. There were several times during the reporting and writing process when I got frustrated, but then the feeling would disappear because I had incredible editors, advisors, and peers who pushed me to work hard and believe in myself.

If there is any advice I can give to someone when they are writing a story, whether it be big or small, your first or your 20th, it’s this: Don’t be afraid to chase that story and trust yourself. Be proud of all the research, time and work you put into your story. Find your Newberg, and don’t let go.