Tabitha Young

Tabitha Young - Florida
Nomination & Photography by Ryan Mitchinson
Issue 101 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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​Nomination: Tabitha is amazing. She is the sweetest person that any photographer could ever work with. Currently, she is finishing her Freshman year at Florida Southern College, where she has had the great privilege of being on the school's cheer team. She is very talented with her writing and poetry skills. Hopefully soon, she will have her first book published. Even though she is super smart and skilled at such a wide variety of things, she never acts on it and is the most humble girl ever. Anyone who knows her is very lucky.

Photography by Ryan Mitchinson
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What inspiring qualities, achievements, or experiences about you were not mentioned in your nomination that you'd like readers to know about?
Moving to Florida alone has been one of my biggest achievements. Here, I get to experience new cities, new people, and college. Florida Southern College has been completely different from high school. It has been something very new to me. It has been so amazing, thus far. I have also been able to experience what it is like to be surrounded by people who care about their education. I get to be around people that I get to share my passions that they also have as well.

Moving somewhere new and alone takes a kind of quiet courage most people don't talk about. What was the hardest moment in that transition, and what got you through it?
I do not think I have fully gotten through moving to Florida on my own. It still scares me even after eight months. I think that knowing I still have a long life to live has definitely helped me. Moving to Florida is not the last chapter in my life and I am excited to get to explore the next chapter that is coming.

You went from your hometown to Florida on your own. Who was the first person you called when you realized you were actually going to be okay?
I know for certain that I called my mother. I call her almost every day, sometimes multiple times. I know it was hard for her knowing her youngest was moving away. I like to reassure her that I am okay and my life is going the way I had hoped and prayed for it to go.

What goals, dreams, or projects are you currently working toward right now?
Currently, I am working on trying to get my first poetry book published. This is something I have been wanting to do for a very long time. I am honored to be able to work with my photographer, Ryan, to create a book full of poetry and photos he has taken. I hope that this book could touch others and possibly encourage them to take the chance to get their name out in the world, even at a young age.

A poetry book paired with photography is a beautiful and bold concept. What does Ryan's photography bring out in your writing that you couldn't get to on your own?
I think that Ryan’s photography brings vision to my poetry. Poetry can be hard for readers to picture and visualize. Adding photos helps bring the stories alive when they are a little complicated to understand. But, working with Ryan has been a dream. We both want the same things for each other. I am super grateful to get to work with him.

What kind of poetry do you write — and is there a poem you've written that felt like it cracked something open in you when you finished it?
I write all kinds of poetry. I do not think it was a poem I wrote, but reading poetry is what opened something in me. I find beauty in little things. Poetry is just that. Poetry can tell a whole story in such little details. Sometimes the best things come in small packages, and poetry is one of the best things.

You said you hope the book encourages others to put their name out in the world at a young age. What would you say to a teenager who has something to say but is too afraid to say it publicly?
There is never a right time to do something. Time is fleeting and limited. Fear is a psychological concept that has to be overcome. Being afraid and backing down from it is letting fear win. Nobody deserves to live their life in fear and to always be afraid. I am afraid. I am so incredibly terrified of putting my name in the world, but I want to concur my own life instead of letting fear control it. Take control of your life. Do not let anything ever stop you from holding back.

If your published book ends up in the hands of a quiet teenager who feels unseen, what do you hope she feels when she closes it?
I hope that anyone, child, teenager, or adult who feels unseen and reads my book, feels seen. That they feel like they are not alone. I used to believe that I was alone and I had no place, but I know that is not true. I have met people with similar stories and similar feelings. Whenever you feel unseen just remember there are others sitting somewhere feeling the same way.

What is something you feel passionate about or could talk about for hours, and why does it matter so much to you?
One thing I am extremely passionate about is cheerleading. It is something I have been doing since I was young. Cheering in college has been my favorite thing I have ever gotten to do, especially in my freshman year. Cheer has, for the longest time, been my purpose for living. I am thankful for my freshman year team that took me and treated me like family. I am even more thankful for my coach for taking a chance on me, even when I was lower-skilled than many others. A big thank you to my team and my coach.

Your coach took a chance on you when you were lower-skilled than others. What do you think she saw in you that made her say yes?
When I first decided Florida Southern College might be the next chapter in my life, I immediately reached out to my coach. I put myself out there because I knew the worst thing that could happen was my coach saying no. When I met her, she asked me to try different things, and even though I was scared, I never said no. Since then, anything she has asked me to do or try I never say no. I work for everything that I have learned and gained from being a part of the team.

Being welcomed by a college cheer team as a freshman is not guaranteed. What did it feel like to be treated like family by people who had no obligation to make you feel that way?
I was extremely overjoyed. In the past, I felt like I was missing the family part in my old cheer teams. Coming here and feeling like I am a part of a family filled that missing piece that I was lacking. I am extremely grateful to my team, but I am extremely sad that I am losing part of my family due to some of them graduating. They will always be part of my cheer family, but I am excited to get to add new members of the family next year.

What is something you have learned about yourself as a leader or person in the past year?
In the past year, I have found my voice. I have learned that I am much more willing to speak up and participate in groups than I was in high school. In high school, I often stayed quiet because I was so worried about being judged by my classmates. That fear made it harder to speak, even when I wanted to. Now, I feel so much more comfortable speaking and expressing my ideas in group settings. Florida Southern College has helped me figure out my voice and that people do not really judge others for having ideas.

Finding your voice after years of holding it back is a big shift. Was there a specific moment at Florida Southern where you spoke up and thought — oh, that's who I actually am?
I do not think there was a specific moment, but speaking up and participating in classes, especially when I am wrong has definitely helped. Every single one of us in the classes are taking the class for the first time. We are all on the same level. I know that other people are scared about speaking up or participating which makes me feel better because I am not alone.

Humility is one of the first things people notice about you. But finding your voice and being humble aren't always easy to hold together. How do you balance speaking up with staying grounded?
Speaking up when knowing the time is right, but also listening to others. Having a voice is not a reason to disregard other’s voices. Making sure you listen and understand other’s opinions and ideas helps a lot.

You write poetry, you cheer, you moved across the country alone, and now you're finding your voice in groups. Which of those feels most like the real Tabitha — and why?
I do not think a single one makes me feel like the real Tabitha. I feel free when I get to use my voice when I get to write poetry. Moving to a new place is something I got to do and achieve, not who I am. I am a cheerleader and have been for the longest time, but there is more to me than just that. I am me, but I am still learning who the real me is. Poetry, cheering, moving, and my voice are just little things that are helping me discover myself.

What is one of your favorite memories with the person who nominated you, or something about them that means a lot to you?
My favorite memory with my photographer, Ryan, is getting to travel with him to Alabama. I was able to take him to Noccalula Falls, located in Gadsden, Alabama. Ryan is very big on nature and getting the chance to use his photography skills to be able to capture the beauty it holds. It means a lot to me that he cares so deeply about his photography, that it is more than just a passion to him. While he already knows a lot about photography, he continues to expand his knowledge by taking photography classes.

How did you find your photographer, and what did you enjoy most about your experience working with them?
I met my photographer at Florida Southern College. He is a sophomore, hoping to build his photography company. We just happened to meet randomly on campus. Even though he is my photographer, the thing I enjoyed most about working with him is the friendship we have built through our work together. Being around the same age, we were able to connect well together, making the experience extremely fun and memorable.

How did you first hear about Inspiring Teens Magazine? Why does being part of Inspiring Teens Magazine matter to you?
I found out about Inspiring Teens Magazine through girls in my hometown being nominated for the magazine. I want to be a part of Inspiring Teens Magazine because it highlights young people who are working towards their goals. Being featured gives me the chance to share my story and inspire other teens who may relate to my story. I think it is important for teens to see that their voices, ideas, and accomplishments do matter. Being a part of the magazine would not only be an honor but also an opportunity to encourage others.

If you win a scholarship through Inspiring Teens Magazine, how would you plan to use it and what goals would it help support?
If I won the scholarship, I would put the money into getting my first poetry book published. It would support my goal of becoming a published author before graduating from college. This is something that I have been dreaming of doing since I was a little kid.
What is your ideal dream job if it were offered to you today?
My ideal dream job is a little complicated. My dream is to become a big name author but I would also love to be a youtuber that gets to make videos for people to enjoy.

Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping you to get where you are today?
I want to thank my mother for being there, for always answering my calls (sometimes), and always listening to me when I need to cry. I also want to thank my cheer coach for taking me in and giving me a family that I never had before. But I also want to thank my cat Rosie Bug, who helped me get through high school and helping me get through college. I want to be able to give her the world because she has given me her world.

If you had nothing to do and all day to do it, where would we find you?
Honestly, I am probably at cheer practice, or in bed reading, writing, and thinking about cheer.

What is up next for you that you are super excited about?
Publishing a book.

What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it?
Moving away from my cat, Rose. I did it by knowing that I am making a better life for her and me.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
The weirder you are the better.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans?
I most likely will be in graduate school.

What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination?
Exploring new places.

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
I can chug a Sprite without burping

3 Things on your bucket list
Travel everywhere, become a published author, eat a crab boil.

Who do you find inspiring?
My cheer coach.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I do not have a fear of being judged.

click here for more information on issue 101

click here to nominate an inspiring teen