I’ve finally done it.

Growing up, people would always say to me, Steve, you should be a writer. I often scoffed at them, thinking my life was destined for something more important. Sure, I could form a complete sentence. Just because everyone else couldn’t didn’t mean I was anything special.

Even before I got to college, I was fickle about my career goals. I have, at some point in my life, wanted the following professions: translator, linguist, political scientist, professional English horn player, field biologist, computer programmer, forensic scientist, district attorney and entomologist.

Sure, I liked the thought of doing those things, but I don’t think I was really cut out to do any of them. All the while, I was still writing. I get shivers whenever I see a blank composition notebook lying around and I pine for a fountain pen with which to fill its lovely blank pages with poems, personal essays, short stories — anything.

But I’ve now picked my major and minor, and I refuse to change them. I love literature. I love books. I love to write. I threw out my lab coat and dissection kit from my stint as a biology major last semester, and I am exchanging them for a book of Romantic poetry. I’m now an English major, and I couldn’t be happier.

I’ve come a long way, too. To think only three semesters ago, my writing experience consisted of an annoying weekly column here on the Forum page. I think back on how immature I was, and how I could have put my column space to better use.

I’m now the editor of the same page I have come to know and love over my two years at Kent State. I want to use this semester to right all of my wrongs and make up for the mindless dribble I have subjected you to.

I am very excited about the semester ahead. I believe this will be one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking Forum pages we have seen in many years. And I’m not patting myself on the back — I have a staff of very talented opinion writers who will try their best to make you laugh, cry, or most likely, get angry.

This is your page as much as it is mine. Feel free to send us your letters and guest columns. This is the one page where the voice of Kent State can be heard. I suggest all of you use it.

I’d like to stay and chat, but today is my last day in Miami, as I just finished my weekend at the MTV Video Music Awards.

No, that doesn’t have anything to do with the Forum page I just wanted to brag.

Maybe I haven’t changed much at all.

Steve Schirra is a junior English major and the forum editor for the Daily Kent Stater.  Contact him at [email protected].