An Inside Look

My name is Sam Olson, and I am a 22 year old senior attending North Dakota State University. I am majoring in English Education with hopes to teach at the secondary level back in home-state of Minnesota. I grew up in small-town in Northern Minnesota (Thief River Falls) where there wasn't much else to do outside the options of drink liquor and read a book; I chose the latter. Some of my favorite things include:

Writing - writing is without question my favorite pastime

Reading - historical fiction is more than likely my favorite genre

Sports - specifically basketball and tennis

Cooking - I really enjoy cooking. My favorite dish to make is chicken parmesan

Pets - I have two yellow labs whom I love very much: Bear (2 years old) & Copper (9 years old)

Music - I can't remember the last time I went a day without listening to any kind of music

After graduating from North Dakota State University with an English-Education degree, I hope to become an English teacher and start sharing my love for reading and writing.

So now that I've told you a little about me, I want to give you a brief insight to what you are about to read. The collection of works you will find within this portfolio hold a great deal of importance to the side of me that is often hidden from the rest of the world. I grew up with a secret love of writing; it was secret because it was considered to be "uncool" to have an interest in English. I can only assume that the individuals who would deem my interest as "uncool," are the same students who make appointments with me at the Center For Writers to help them improve their last-ditch effort of scraping by with a 'C' in their English class.

But there was more than just the fear of being uncool; I was worried about people reading my works and expressing their opinions of mediocrity. Even if my works were mediocre, which I have no doubt many of them were, they were important to me because each one contained a portion of my heart. After several instances of hiding the pain I felt from my written works being ridiculed by those who didn't realize the gravity of their words, I began keeping much of my writing secret.

It wasn't until several years later, sometime around my sophomore year of college, I stumbled upon a quote by Stephen King:

"The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them -- words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out. But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever you secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller, but for want of an understanding ear."

This quote was the written embodiment of how I perceived my writing. I was too afraid to share them with the rest of the world for fear of rejection or derision. Now that I am a senior in college, I have learned that although there is risk involved when sharing my heart, it grants me the opportunity of sharing what I love with others, hopefully encouraging them of igniting their own flickering flame from being snuffed.

The various literary works found in this portfolio range from written, to auditory, all the way to short films. Many of these compositions tested my skills and required hours of attention. If not for the guidance of Dr. Kevin Brooks, my ability to write would not have been tested. As a result of this challenge, I was not only able to improve my potential, but also given the chance to share stories that have been held captive within my secret heart.