Hello everyone! My name is Callie McNorton and I am currently serving as your Opinions Editor at The Signal for the 2021-2022 school year. I am going into my senior year at Georgia State, hoping to graduate in the spring with a Bachelors in Journalism and a minor in Political Science.
All throughout grade school, I had a passion for storytelling. Whether through theatre, dance, or writing, I was always world-building or watching them be built. I remember writing a terrible thirty-five-page story in first grade, I’m pretty sure it had zombies but also a Burger king. Not Burger King, a burger king. Nevertheless, I did not care because I read it in front of the class and loved being able to share a small piece of my strange brain.
I realized I had a lot to say, and could not figure out a way to put it to good use. When figuring out what I wanted to study, Journalism was the one major that felt right. Luckily, I have stuck with it and love every second of my studies. Every second is a bit generous, but most of the seconds.
I started with The Signal fully online, in Fall 2020. I was never expecting to become an editor, but I knew I wanted to be a part of something that could be a launching point for my future career. Even though the experience has been anything but conventional, I am so grateful for the knowledge I’ve gained thus far.
After being a writer for 9 months and associate editor for 4 of those months, I was able to see firsthand how a publication operates. I have been able to realize what I am capable of, and getting to write each week has built my confidence and ability.
I was never one to reach out or make things happen, and that is when I started feeling stuck. When I took a leap and applied to The Signal, I realized I am the only one who can create opportunities for myself.
The opinions section is a unique one. Each week, writers pitch stories that are completely themselves. Whether the whole world agrees or no one agrees, it does not matter because you get a platform to share what you feel, what you think, how your brain operates. It can be an intimidating thing, but it is freeing.
This section and this publication are special ones, and I am glad I get to be a part of them.
