I never thought that changing my major would allow me to meet my heroes.

In the coming months, I will be interviewing Henry Rollins for the Northern Star. Rollins, who was the volatile frontman for the legendary punk band Black Flag, has provided me with inspiration and motivation through his music for many years now. I will get to speak to him before his arrival at Otto’s, 118 E. Lincoln Highway, on March 31.

Needless to say, I am beyond excited.

College is a time for finding your place in the world. While it is important to pick a major and choose classes that will make you happy, exploring the world outside of the university is just as important. Sometimes this involves looking to the local art community, and figuring out how you can contribute in your own way.

Participation in the “scene,” however, does not necessarily mean being able to paint or sing. In fact, it might mean taking your special talents and applying them in an alternative manner. It’s impossible to know where it will lead, but that’s part of the beauty of the process. While I am sure that a highlight in my life will always be, “that time I interviewed the singer from Black Flag,” someone else’s “Henry Rollins” might be found in a new family or passion that they never expected to come across.

In the winter of 2008, I became burned out on the idea of being an actor. As a theatre major here at NIU, long rehearsals and a demanding schedule were keeping me from my true passion; the world of independent music. Shows and band practices got put on the back burner, and the inability to participate in what made me truly happy began to take its toll.

Eager to turn things around, I changed my field of study to journalism.

I figured that, one day, maybe I could get a job following big-name bands as they toured the world. Maybe I’d even be interviewing the people who drew me toward punk rock in the first place.

That day came faster than I ever dreamed it could.

Since joining the entertainment staff of the Northern Star, I’ve gained the ability to contribute to local music not only as a performer, but as a writer. I have been fortunate enough to tell the stories of DeKalb while expanding upon my own.

Now, a different kind of excitement washes over me when I hear that my favorite bands are coming to town. The privilege to speak to members of groups like Local H, the Meat Puppets and (especially) Black Flag would have sounded impossible to me several years ago. Now, artists that I hold in high regard are only a few phone calls or e-mails away.

It is true that my situation may not apply to everyone. I choose to tell my story more for the formula rather than the specific details. DeKalb’s arts and entertainment community has so much to offer, not only to artists themselves, but for the people on the outskirts; the people who think that there might not be any way to participate short of starting a band or sculpting a statuette.

No matter who you are, the equation will always begin with getting involved. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find your own Henry Rollins.