At the end of a marine science course last semester, my teacher assigned us a creative writing assignment for extra credit. I was probably a little too excited, but honestly how many times do you get to practice creative writing in a science course? Exactly.

The assignment ended up being a 500-word elevator pitch to any company. She asked us to think abstractly and not just give the basic information about who we are, what we study and what we want to do, etc…My response is probably the farthest thing from an elevator pitch, but I figured it was a different way to explain "me" and what I’m passionate about.

If this is a tldr; here’s the synopsis: I’m a journalist (storyteller) who admires everything about the human element and hopes to work for a company that will allow me to share it with the world someday. You can probably stay tuned for a follow-up piece on the human element, eventually.

So…here’s my pitch.

I’m a storyteller. By that, I don’t just mean a journalist sharing the news. I mean it in the way see the world in a million colors.

Since I was little, I had this fascination with the ocean and the way a place, alone, can change the way you feel. That’s your setting. Add the people who matter the most, and those are your characters. Re-create an adventure and you find your plot line. That is a story.

Since I began studying journalism, I’ve grown disheartened by how swiftly print journalism (print anything for that matter) is fading. I don’t think people realize that there is nothing like holding a magazine in your hands and thumbing through pages. Personally, I'm one to underline the quotes that I can’t help but reread over and over again. But, that’s just me—I love words and the immense power they can carry.

Eventually, I took on minors in religious studies and marine science, which usually induced a look of confusion across most of my friend's faces. “Why?” is a question I began to know all too well. My answer: no matter how different the areas I’ve chosen to study are, they all connect somehow. They focus on people, society and the bigger picture of life.

I’ve never felt myself become so invested in something as I am in the human element. When you reflect on how diverse our planet is it’s really incredible. You can hop on a plane today, leave your city and wind up overseas in the heart of a jungle. You’ll foster a multitude of relationships throughout the course of your lifetime. You’ll find people who live a life that is entirely opposite of your own. That’s culture, and it’s what maintains balance in the world. The human element wouldn’t be half as beautiful if we were all carbon copies of one another, right?

When you read a great article, I mean one that is so great you can practically feel your soul-rattling inside your ribcage, read between the lines and look for the human element. There’s a chance that’s what is shaking up your spirit.

I was re-reading my favorite magazine the other day, looking for quotes to hang on to, and at the top of the editor's letter was a quote from Charles Dickens that said, “A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret & mystery to every other.”

I just kind of sat there in awe at first, and then it got me thinking about how connected we all are, and how we all have something different to bring to the table.

For anyone who watched the poised Meryl Streep give her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes (from a non-political approach), you would have heard her conclude with a powerful message about journalists. She reminded us, reminded me, that journalists are important. She reassured me that our words are an art of their own and that the passion you have for your art will always help you find your way.

Someday, whichever career I end up pursuing, it is my deepest intention to move people through words, photography, design, and stories. I’m pretty sure the beauty of nature and people will take care of the rest.