OJCL Torch Winter 2023 | Page 11

JCLer (I’m more british than he is), and became part of my first (and only) friend group (known as The Round Table, anyone is welcome).If I hadn’t forced myself to go to dinner, none of that would have been possible. In retrospect, I am beginning to believe that perhaps my loss was actually a win. Since I lost the national election I kept my

digitize historical documents over duties for 2VP such as organizing service events, planning competitions, and inventorying awards. The next year I ran for OJCL's First Vice President. I put my heart and soul into the perfect campaign, and yet again I lost. This time, as with all of my losses, it was definitely a win for the JCL. If I wasn’t running against her, I would’ve voted for her. I, yet again, had the opportunity to apply for an applied position and applied for the editor, a position which, since receiving, I have grown to adore. I suppose the moral of the story with all my losses was that it wasn’t that there was something wrong with me, but that there was a better

towards graduation from high school and begin my next chapter in college I anticipate many many more failures. I don’t know what they will be, because what’s the fun in that? I know that when I fail, I’ll listen to Mitski for 15 minutes and cry my heart out (because I think it’s okay to be sad for a little bit), then I’ll pick myself up, dust myself off and put myself back out there.

person for that position and a better-suited position for me.

There is always a bright side to failure, and it is certainly a necessary step to success, but it is only possible if you continue to try. If I gave up, I would have never been able to have the same experiences. Because I went to dinner that night after my loss at nationals, I bonded more with my fellow Ohioans, became friends with Illinois and Indiana JCLers in particular

was a wide-eyed middle schooler getting on stage to rap Guns & Ships. Even outside of JCL, I’ve learned time and time again that failure is important and that to achieve success, I have to keep trying even when I fail, and that I will fail again and again and again and again. As I move

position as Ohio Editor. On the Ohio board, I made priceless memories, fell in love, and found a passion for journalism and design. All the while I was learning new skills and working to make the organization remain as magical as it was for me when I

(midwestern camaraderie), met my Floridian friends for the first time in real life (did you know that of all the states, Florida is home to the most people born in Ohio other than Ohio) reintroduced myself to the singular British

Me at Fall Forum 2022

Me and other candidates for the 2022-23 OJCL board

Competing in spirit at my second convention with Katelyn Cheng

Me speaking at meet the candidates in 2022

Winter 2023

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