“Writing my own story”: Anjali Darji, Opinions Editor

Growing up, I had always looked to reading as an escape to worlds crafted by others in order to evade reality. But, we live in a real-world plagued by real issues and vexed by real questions. I was angered and I was enraged. I truly was at the peak of teenage angst: mad at the world and silenced by it. It was the end of my sophomore year and I had yet to find a place at RV that allowed me the connection and support I needed, especially in the midst of COVID.

Holly Spirit was my soapbox. And the Opinions Desk served as my passionate and well-articulated podium. I was free to write about issues and questions I was interested in, from human rights to philosophical questions to Valentine’s Day. Here, I was able to craft comprehensible arguments backed up by facts in order to lay out a new direction. I had the time I needed in order to write not a rant, but an opinion piece worthy of publication. 

I was never fond of writing but the Holly Spirit changed that. Whenever I wrote, I was excited. And this excitement is what made me realize the true importance of writing and what it can do for society. The Holly Spirit helped me to move beyond the page to action. This incitement of passion and love of writing makes me incredibly grateful to have joined. The Holly Spirit is more than a club, it is a lifestyle. Hear me out. The Holly Spirit changed me from this introverted, never the risk-taker, timid sophomore and made me this outspoken, articulate, interviewing opinions writer. And that alone has contributed abundantly to the way I live my life and see my future.

The Holly Spirit has helped me lay out my opinions and spark school-wide fervor with my “Through My Eyes” article on the sexist dress code. Looking back, although it happened early on and almost two years ago, my “Through My Eyes” piece is what cemented my feeling of belonging with the Holly Spirit. I was not only heard as a writer but as a person. I have also had the opportunity to be the Opinions Section Editor and aid others in articulating their ideas.

And now, that young girl who would always look to words to escape, writes her own story, literally.