Stories have always fascinated me. From a young age, I would read book after book and watch movie after movie to build up my collection of tales.

When I joined The Sidekick staff, I found that journalism became my new source of stories.

Journalism gives me a chance to meet people I would never have dreamed of meeting and the ability to hear some incredible things.

I have spoken to swimmers, football players, soccer players, gymnasts and volleyball players. I have spoken to actors, singers and artists. I have spoken to coaches and teachers and student leaders who I know will end up changing the world some day.

Each person I have spoken to has a set of unique traits.

There are the people who are reserved and do not really start answering questions until after a while. There are the people who deliver monologues after even a simple “yes or no” question. There are the people who will talk about their friends or family without a problem but grow timid when I ask them to talk about themselves.

Each characteristic is a little story of its own.

Journalism allows me to see patterns in people.

There are the people who stare directly into my eyes when I talk and the ones who always look to the side or into the distance. There are the people who take a few seconds to think of their answer before saying it aloud and the people who answer immediately.

There is even a pattern of what people do when they are approached by someone they know during their interview. There are the ones who awkwardly smile and wave and the ones who take a pause from the question and politely tell their friend that they are doing an interview.

The one exception to that is the kid who took the windshield wiper approach and simply swung his arm to smack his interrupting friend. He did not falter in his speech nor break eye contact with me during the brief ordeal.

With journalism, I have heard stories that made me feel a range of emotions. The humor of the girl who went from only attending swim practice because they were giving out free ice cream afterwards to representing Coppell High School in the state swimming championships.

The heartfelt emotion of the soccer coach who came from a family of educators and, knowing the sacrifices that teachers make, helped put together a teacher appreciation night.

The pride of a football player who will play for his dad’s college team and his father who will see his old jersey number worn on the field by his flesh and blood.

As co-student life editor, journalism means I get even more exposure to all of these stories. Not only do I get to write stories, I get to be a part of the process with every other student feature that is produced.

Journalism is my book of stories with countless chapters and no final page.

Follow Sally (@sparampottil) on Twitter.