In my Introduction to Speech Communication class we have our first speech coming up, and while I am absolutely terrified, it has given me time to think about myself.

For our first speech we had to choose and represent four things: our past, present, future and something that represents all of those items.

Now my process for deciding what items to use was less than helpful, but after 30 minutes I came up with a theme for my speech and chose my items from that.

I found my theme when I was stretching out and saw a flash of color on my leg, my tattoo. I got my tattoo a few days after I turned 18. It is a rainbow surrounded by the words, “if you want to change the world, start in your own neighborhood.”

I got my tattoo to celebrate the first year of the club I started at my high school, the Meridian Gay-Straight Alliance. I created the GSA for all of the LGBT students in my high school to have a place to feel loved and accepted in our majority conservative and small community.

The creation of the GSA came for many reasons, like the lack of respect for the LGBT community and the absence of a school LGBT community despite a surprising amount of students who identified as LGBT. However, the biggest driving force for me was my urge to make the world a better place.

Maybe it’s the ex-Girl Scout in me, who knows, but I believe in leaving things in better shape than you find them in. When I saw my tattoo and thought about my GSA, I instantly knew my theme had to be my path to changing the world.

The next step was finding the objects to represent this theme.

To represent my past, I chose a pride flag that students and teachers involved in my club signed. The flag really represents my start in my own community. At the end of the school year, I passed my leadership role to rising senior so we could continue passing the GSA down for years to come.

The Daily Eastern News also gets passed down every year to new leaders and reporters. I chose to bring a copy of the paper as the item to represent my present. I wanted to write for the DEN because I want to help inform people and so they are aware of all that happens around them. That’s why I chose journalism as my major. In my columns I am also given the opportunity to amplify my voice and share my stories and opinions with the public.

To represent my future, I chose a microphone. I don’t know how I want to put my voice out into the world quite yet, but I know I want to be involved in shaping the world into a better place.

I think everyone wants to make the world a better place, no matter what their views are. Everyone has their own ideals for what the world would look best as in their eyes.

I also believe whether you change the world or not is up to you. Put yourself out there and make your own change, whatever that looks like for you.

Corryn Brock is a freshman journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at cebrock@eiu.edu.