This editor’s note is meant to serve, not specifically as a note on the state of the paper to our readers, but a note to my fellow journalists on Etched in Stone. It’s also for anyone else who has ever had a leadership position or wanted one, or anyone who experiences anxiety of any sort, whether that is on an infrequent or frequent basis.

When I started high school, I was always so amazed at the strong, confident leaders I saw everywhere. I still am, even as a senior. The only difference between then and now is that I now know (mostly) what it takes to be that leader, and on the days when I feel like I am totally kidding myself, I know to remember that those peers I look up to (literally and figuratively) do not feel as though they know what they are doing, either. So, the first thing I hope you take away from my editor’s note is this: if you ever, ever, ever feel that everyone else around you has life, school, leadership, etcetera, figured out way more than you do, stop. Seriously, just stop. If you refuse to believe me, go ask those people you compare yourself to – even if they have a solid hold on life now, it definitely has not always been that way. I know this is something people say often, and we will nod along even if we do not believe it, but it is true, and once you see that for yourself, nothing is stopping you from becoming who you want to be.

Since the school year started, I felt like I was completely failing my leadership responsibilities because I was not doing as much as I thought I should be. I thought that my difficulties in speaking out in front of the class, and not setting the class agenda each day meant that I was not actually acting as Editor-in-Chief, and was instead the person that simply answered everyone’s questions. No matter how many times my peers or my teacher told me I was doing a good job, I felt like I was not only letting the rest of the staff down, but I was letting myself down too. Speaking in front of large groups of people has always been difficult for me, and it probably always will be – it is that way for many other people too. What I have learned in these past two months, however, is that if I think I should be leading the class more, I need to stop thinking about it and just stand up, be assertive, and do it.

If other people inspire you so much that you want to be like them, stop doubting yourself and comparing yourself to them, and start being the person you want to be. It is certainly easier said than done, but you must recognize this before you can start. As cheesy as it sounds, when we do not believe in ourselves, deep down, all we end up doing is making ourselves more miserable. We sit around imagining all the great things we could be doing, but then we never go out and do them, and all we are left with is self-pity.

What you also must keep in mind is that leadership, just like potatoes, takes on many forms. You may not become the same type of leader as the people that inspire you, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Different people have different strengths. If you are not the type of person who is comfortable giving people specific instructions, do not become a commander of an army. Leaders are not only people with titles; they are people who set good examples for the younger students to follow, or people who are always willing to help others.

If you want something, you have to stop thinking about how much you want it, and go try to get it. Something we say in journalism is that the answer is always going to be no if you never ask. You are never going to achieve your goals, or be like the people you look up to, if you do not do something about it.