I must dedicate this piece to my Design 3-D professor at UCF, Professor Reedy, because he is the one who told me, and the rest of the class, these words of wisdom on the first day of the semester. And they have stuck with me ever since.

"People fail because they never had a plan to succeed."

This had me thinking a lot. It seems like simple advice, but there is so much more behind it. Everyone wants to be successful, but not everyone has a plan to succeed. You may want to be a lawyer, a doctor, an artist, or if you're like me, a journalist. You may even be well on your way to accomplishing that goal. However, what is your next step? What is your next goal once you reach it?

This was a question I had to ask myself when Professor Reedy spoke those words. I know I want to be a journalist somewhere in a big city and make art on the side, and I have a couple of internships under my belt, but I never really thought about why. And the "why" you want to do something is crucial for planning your long-term success.

Ever since coming to UCF, I've tried to get involved as much as I can. I have hundreds of published articles, an editing position at a large publication, and have worked three internships. However, it wasn't until that day that I realized why I love both journalism and art so much: I love to tell stories.

Storytelling is in my blood. I have fond memories of family members telling me captivating stories throughout my childhood. I don't remember much about the gatherings each story was debuted at, but I remember the stories - down to every little detail. And so I decided to start writing stories when I was really young, entering writing competitions and competing in Power of the Pen tournaments.

Back then, I had a plan. I was either going to be a journalist, write novels or both. I was going to do whatever I had to in order to be successful and write stories the rest of my life. But as I grew older, it became more about getting good grades and graduating than about storytelling.

Now, as a senior in college, I was forced to remember the plan I made as a young girl. As soon as I heard those words, everything was immediately put into perspective. I have already accomplished many small goals I have set for myself throughout the years: go to a good college, get accepted into the journalism program, make the Dean's List and more. However, the only plan that truly matters is my plan to be a storyteller for the rest of my life, whether it's through my reporting, photography, videography or art pieces. Now, that has become crystal clear, thanks to Professor Reedy.

My advice to anyone reading this is to think about the big picture. What do you want to do the rest of your life and why did you choose to do it in the first place? Most people can recall a moment when they knew what they wanted their career to be. If you can't, then maybe you aren't doing what you were meant to do. Maybe your plan isn't clear yet, and that's OK.

Go make it, and don't underestimate yourself.