Not many 18-year-olds can say they’ve written for a national newspaper. And fewer still can say they’ve been given the chance to not only report on current events, but to give their opinions on relevant social issues.

For the last year and a half, a friend and I have run a small faith-sharing group for young women. It has turned out to be a far more important experience to my faith than I ever imagined.

When I was hired as a camp counsellor earlier this year I expected the job to come with great rewards and great challenges. I didn’t expect one of the challenges would force me to actually grow in my Christian life.

We live in a culture that glorifies gossip, from celebrity tabloids and reality TV to the rumour mill in our own personal circles at school, work, home and on social media.

Despite our busy and often conflicting schedules, my parents, brother and I try to eat at least one meal a day together. During this time, we share stories, make jokes and catch up on each other’s lives.

As a frequent rider of the subway, I have seen the Canada 150 ads that feature influential young adults and posing the question of how they will shape the future of our country.

A recent Ipsos poll conducted for Global News showed that 51 per cent of Canadians polled believe that religion does more harm than good.

Staying connected to my faith has always been easy for me. During my high school years at Holy Name of Mary College School, I attended mandatory Mass once a month, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and participated in faith-related reflections for class.

Recently, I read an article by American author and speaker Joshua Harris titled “The Room.” In the article, the narrator finds himself in a small filing room, filled with catalogue cards that detail every moment of his life.

When I was a kid, I had a crush on a girl. As far as I was concerned I was going to grow up, marry this girl, have kids with her, etc. However, later on I developed a crush on a different girl.