RampageWired, HBHA’s student-run news site, is a place to be creative, discover your voice, and become a better all-around writer. Throughout my time on the paper, I have sparked my creativity, favorite writing techniques, and the ins and outs of the publication process, which are skills sure to assist me in my future.
One lesson in particular that facilitated my growth was the process of finding my authentic voice through opinion articles. I uncovered genuine interests in topics that I initially did not naturally gravitate towards.
When I first joined as a freshman, it was easy to belittle certain topics I chose to write about. I began to consider my opinionated articles as filler pieces because I was not doing news research on the topic; I was merely reporting on how I felt, but this could not have been further from the truth.
“Are HBHA Families Sexist?” was the first opinionated article I wrote as a sophomore in high school. When the article was published, it was the first semi-controversial topic I had reported on, but one that I felt passionate about.
Having the label “opinion” at the top of an article attaches a writer to their work in a way that is personal and real. All of a sudden, I felt capable of reporting on what I found important and the ideas I wanted others to understand. Perspective is everything.
“Are you stressed?” was another article I wrote as a sophomore, where I admitted to my emotions and current struggles, publishing them to connect with my readers. But the real reason that connection was possible was due to the admission of my emotions and interest in the topic itself.
It took time to cultivate and find my voice as a writer, but every writer’s time on the paper is limited. You only have a quick four years (if you are lucky and start early) to present your best and most meaningful work, and then you are done.
HBHA allowed me to use my raw voice in sharing my opinion. It almost felt as though each article I would write, even though it was not intended to be an opinionated piece, somehow morphed into one. I had created this sense of security and comfort with my writing and with Rampage, which allowed me to authentically disclose my opinions.
“How Did the Current Israel-Hamas Conflict Affect My Summer Israel Plans?” was the first article I wrote in my junior year. After freshly returning from a meaningful trip across Israel, I felt the need to publicly reflect on my experience and stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As this article was obviously opinionated and reported directly on the happenings of my specific trip, I chose to take a larger step out of my comfort zone than I ever imagined I would on Rampage. I described my experience with the drone strike in July 2024 from Yemen’s Houthis that happened to land in Tel Aviv, just two buildings away from where I was staying.
The point of my sharing this story may have been to shed light on the everyday experiences of Israelis from a visitor’s perspective, but it simultaneously enabled me to comment on the situation and form my own opinions on the matter.
Why do I think the way I do? Why do I support and subscribe to certain values?
Throughout my life, these questions will continue to surface, forcing me to mature and grow in my opinions socially, academically, politically, and more.
My articles may double as a portfolio of my interests from these earlier stages in my life, but also as a comparison of my education to come. Being knowledgeable on certain topics is what allows me to form opinions and confidently comment on them.
One clear example of this is through my gerrymandering article. Though it may not have been an op-ed, I now understand the topic at length and will be able to form opinions and make political decisions for myself in the future.
Opinionated articles are an outlet for me, open for genuine self-reflection. My gerrymandering piece, “Gerrymandering will redraw the future,” forced me to work through a process that all active Americans should be familiar with: researching and understanding current political issues.
Understanding a topic for what it truly is, like gerrymandering, allows me to form an opinion and confidently participate in my civic duty, being an active part of our democratic society and an informed voter.
While this exit article marks not only my final editorial, but also my final piece on this publication altogether, I’d like to say that my time on RampageWired, and furthermore, my position as Editor-in-Chief, was an absolute honor full of lessons I am sure will assist me through life challenges to come in my next chapter.
