Being a journalist definitely has its ups and downs. I don’t think I’ll go into detail about the bad parts, but one of the best parts is meeting new people.

I’ve met some of my best friends though journalism, including my friend Ty, who is paralyzed from the neck down.

I remember the day I got the courage up to talk to him. We lived in the same apartment complex and I needed to find a subject for a photo story. I really thought he would be a compelling subject, but was nervous about approaching him.

When I finally did ask him, I was moved by his attitude toward life. He put off this vibe that was so interesting. My first impression of him was that he was a special guy.

First impressions are important in journalism. You don’t want to go to an interview and immediately do something that makes your subject not want to talk to you.

On the other hand, sometimes first impressions don’t always turn out to be accurate. Maybe someone is just having a bad day.

Sometimes I wonder if journalism is really the right place for me. But then, out of the blue, you get that one interview that makes you remember why you do your job.

One of those interviews for me took place last week. I wanted to do a sports story on Ronan’s Kaitlyn Sassaman, who has done great things in her high school softball career. My first impression of her was that she was a pretty cool kid. Those first impressions were both right and wrong.

It wasn’t until her coach, Kellie Manyhides, told me about Sassaman’s battle with cancer that I got the whole story.

I had interviewed Sassaman for about ten minutes, and not once did she mention cancer. When I asked her why she hadn’t, she said, “Well, you didn’t ask.”

My first impression of her went from cool to total stud.

Everyone goes through struggles in their lives. I mean, high school wasn’t exactly fun for me. But I can’t imagine being told I had cancer as a junior in high school.

Sassaman keeps a perfect GPA, runs cross country, and plays softball year around. Meanwhile, she has to deal with this dark cloud hanging over her.

And just like my friend Ty, Sassaman has that presence about her, a sassy kind of attitude, that just made me smile.

So, if my first impression was accurate, I believe Sassaman will be making people smile for a long time to come. Thanks for reminding me why I do this job, kid.