Growing up, I was not the kid to play sports or go outside and hang out with other kids. I enjoyed staying inside, playing with my toys and letting my imagination run wild.   

I loved writing and my English classes; I would get so excited every time I stepped into class and saw on the blackboard that we had an essay or two-page paper due. For me, writing was my outlet to be myself.   

Though I loved writing and was fascinated with how words can come together to tell beautiful stories, I soon became interested in the news and weather. When I was in sixth grade, my mom would film me telling the weather, and I would dress up as a newscaster sitting at my desk broadcasting the weather and news reports.   

Every morning before school, I would wake up and turn on the TV to watch Good Morning America and have Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos greet me and tell me the news as I got ready for school. Something I still do today.   

I was always curious about what was happening in the world and since high school, I knew I wanted to be a journalist. I was a yearbook kid and loved it. I would tell my family members that one day, I would be working at the New York Times, LA Times, or The Washington Post.   

But, as my senior year approaches, I am filled with so many emotions because I know that the person who entered college three years ago is a different person now.   

I remember feeling so lost as a journalist and not knowing where to begin. It wasn’t even to my knowledge that UTEP had a newspaper for me to join and as use a steppingstone to jump start my career. However, in the spring of 2022, one of my professors told me about The Prospector and that I should apply.   

However, I did not because I thought I was not good enough to join their team and tell stories on campus or around El Paso.   

Eventually, I found the courage to apply, and in January, I joined The Prospector as a staff reporter. I can honestly say these past few months have been the best, and I have learned so much and have grown so much as a journalist and individual.   

I will always cherish the memory of seeing my first story on the front page and realizing that I belonged at The Prospector.   

As the new web and copy editor, I am beyond excited to start this new journey, as I am here to display the amazing work that our newspaper has to offer. There is so much talent at The Prospector, and my main goal is to highlight the hard work that these writers and photographers put in.   

I want to engage with the student community and city and make our website easily accessible so you can read our stories day and night. So, you can feel more connected with us and life in the borderland. 

There is still so much room for me to grow as a writer and journalist and I can’t thank Assistant Director Crystal Hinga enough for shaping me as the writer and journalist I am today and reminding me not to write like a ‘reporter.’ 

Erik Acosta is the web and copy editor and may be reached at [email protected]