Maria Codianni

I would attribute my success to my cousin, Talia Marino, because she's the person that kind of got me started. She was the first musician that I've interviewed, and without her giving me that opportunity to interview her, I wouldn't have begun this journey in journalism. She really opened the door for me to start building my portfolio and pursuing what I'm passionate about.

I would say that it's scary at first to start doing something that's a little bit different than what other people your age are doing. But if it's something you're really passionate about, then it's worth giving it a try, even if you don't end up liking it. I'd say, like, anything that you're thinking about doing, it's worth just trying it out. Don't let fear or the fact that you're doing something unconventional hold you back from pursuing what matters to you.

I would say the biggest challenge is trying to find people that are willing to do an interview. That's definitely the hardest part. I have gotten lucky - I've had a few people reach out to me asking for one, so that was really nice. The biggest opportunity, though, is that with this work, you meet a lot of new people, so in the future, you guys can help each other out. I've met people that do all sorts of different things, and I'd say most of the people that I interact with in this field have been really supportive and helpful, and I wouldn't be where I was if it weren't for them. The connections and relationships you build are invaluable.