A small town kid just living the dream. — Hi everyone! My name is Noah Nelson and I am from the small town of Taylorville, located smack dab in the middle of Illinois. Currently, I am a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign majoring in journalism with minors in political science and history. Outside of the classroom…

This story is crazier than you think. — You know who President John Tyler is, right? You should know he spent some time in the White House, and that even though he died in 1862 in the early days of the American Civil War, he still has one grandchild living today. How is that even possible? It’s strange…

The sun is shining bright most every day here in Champaign-Urbana, and summer is well on its way. The air feels nice outdoors, so I thought to myself: Why not go out and enjoy it? That’s exactly what I have been doing lately. I have been walking anywhere from 2–5…

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, they define writer’s block as this: Writer’s block: a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece. It’s a common occurrence for writers, especially ones just starting to learn their craft and figure out they they want to write. …

It’s summer season, and that means it’s time for my own summer reading program. I am hoping to read more books during these hot months, and the following books should be a good start. Let’s dive in: “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” by Elizabeth Gilbert

It’s not cheating; it’s part of the learning process. — I used to have a passion for reading James Patterson novels. I still do today, but not as much as during my younger days. I don’t know what it was about his books I loved, but I knew I wanted to be like him too. …

It’s 5 a.m. You jolt your eyes open and run down the stairs to see if Santa left you presents under the tree. You know darn good and well you can’t open them until your parents wake up, but anticipation continues to build inside until that moment comes. There’s Only One President in the Wrestling Hall of Fame And no, it’s not Theodore Roosevelt.medium.com And that’s…

There’s just no other way around it. — You always remember your first, right? When it comes to Harry Potter, Potterheads normally remember the first book above the other six in the iconic series. It not only introduces Harry, but his friends Ron and Hermione, Professor Dumbledore, Snape, Voldemort and so many more famous characters. The book also…

You should look to J.K. Rowling for help. — British author J.K. Rowling was 25 years old when she hatched the idea about an 11-year-old boy with magical powers who attends a wizarding school to master his skills. Sounds pretty simple, right? I think so too. It’s not only an idea, but the first seed into the Wizarding World…