I have been storytelling since I was five. Strongly stepping up the 27 stairs that led to my Saturday morning acting classes in the old Ted Herbert building on 922 Elm Street. All I knew is that I loved inviting others into the worlds that I created. My first show was The Wizard of Oz. I only had one line, 'strange weather were having." I said as I was creating dreams of dancing and singing. I wasn't just holding a role, I was working with a team of 15 other munchkins. 

Every Saturday I continued to show up to my classes climbing that same set of stairs, but the stairs were more than just wood. By the time I got to the top, I was already creating my own narrative. 

The stairs taught me something that no one else ever could. The stories require effort. You have to wait for the person in front of you to get to the landing, but you should always wait and check to see that your peer behind you made it up as well. You always have to climb toward it. You have to show up even when you are tired, over ruled, or you don't know where your ending is headed. I never thought at the age of five I would be applying for top Journalism college programs 12 years later. 

As a child, I wouldn't have said I was disciplined or had an idea on how I was going to master my craft, I had the drive to see what was waiting on the other side of the staircase. In high school, my freshman year English teacher recommended me to the school news publication. She felt that I would be a good edition to their team. Now, I find myself on a different staircase, just separated by the landing I was once on. 

As I am preparing to go to school for journalism with the excitement of the next chapter, along comes stress, exhaustion, and the fear of getting it wrong. The pressure is heavier now because the stakes are real. The stories aren't just for pretend anymore, they shape the way people live in the world today, informing people about the truth. Some days, the stairs feel steeper than they did 12 years ago. 

But when it gets hard and I get tired, I go back to those Saturday mornings and remember - I'm not tired of it. Journalism is storytelling, where we translate human experiences into words that everyone can understand. 12 years later, the strategies are different, and the responsibilities are greater, but my love for stories has never changed. 

I'm still climbing stairs, now, it's to deadlines, interviews, and the ultimate challenge of trying to find the truth. Still, I feel through every step that stories are worth the journey, reminding myself that I have been preparing for this longer than I think. 

When I look ahead, unsure and hopeful, I realize that I am not starting from scratch, I am continuing something that began with ruby slippers, stage lights and a little girl who believed in the magic of storytelling. 

At the end of the day, I owe my thanks to that five year old. 

~ My name is Kelsey Sweet and I am a journalist.