Just yesterday, I participated in what I will always remember as being one of the most intimidating icebreaker activities I've ever experienced as a college student: attempting to make myself seem like a valuable asset to my peers for an upcoming group project. I felt the same way that I did back in high school P.E. class, anxiously waiting for someone, anyone, to show me that I was worth being picked to be on their team.

My role during the activity was very simple: sit in your seat and willingly listen to what others have to say about their own experiences with changing the world while making sure to share some of your own experiences. Now, of course, it wasn't all about sharing what we had already done to make the world a better place. We each had the opportunity to pose questions to one another about what our interests were, what we were going to school for, etc.

However, I'm sure you can already guess that those basic pieces of information were not what the other person was genuinely after. So here I am, sitting and listening. Questioning whether or not the drop deadline for the course had actually already passed. Wondering if I was even good enough for everyone else in the room, or if I would be perceived as a burden to every group of students that would eventually form and begin working on the very first group project together.

Every person I talked to seemed to have endless experiences to share about their affiliations with trending fundraisers hosted by their sororities, or even how they had become involved with organizations designed to reduce the issue of human trafficking.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting there, wondering:

I'm a writer and public speaker...Is that not enough?

And

Can the lights flicker already so that I can be forced to interact with someone who maybe doesn't have as much experience with changing the world?

And, of course:

Why didn't I join a sorority again?

I left class that day thinking that, as a senior, I really hadn't done much to make the world a better place (and probably wouldn't do so until after graduating from law school sometime within the next few years).

I felt useless. Completely. 100%. Useless.

However, the day after the icebreaker activity, I completed an additional assignment that required me to read pages 1-31 of Mary Pipher's, Writing to Change the World. One portion of the assignment required me to reflect on an assertion that Pipher makes on page 21 of her text. Surprisingly, that same assertion (along with the other ideas that she presents throughout pages 1-31) is also what managed to completely change how I felt about my current worth and potential as both a student and beginning writer. That assertion is:

"All writing is designed to change the world."

After taking the time to really think about it, I realized just how accurate Pipher's argument really was. I also realized that it is not just my writing which has the potential to completely change the world, but also everything else that I will ever contribute to the world over time. Even my past accomplishments and experiences (big or small, complicated or simple) have impacted the world in some way.

In other words, I may not have raised over $500,000 for a school fundraiser just yet, but I have made over 40 personalized articles (all with different ideas about life) that current and future students can reference in order to overcome some of life's most difficult experiences.

I'm sure that if you really think about it, you'll realize that even your simplest actions are what continue to help to make the world the way it is today.

Perhaps that conversation you just had with someone who seemed to be having a bad day is what gave them just the right amount of reassurance that this world wouldn't be a better place if they chose to take their life tonight.

Now that's what you call changing the world.

Remember, your worth is only less when you doubt your potential to accomplish anything with it.