There is still one thing, however, that I might be able to cross off my list — change the world.

That’s what I thought I could do when I decided to become a journalist at the tender age of 10.

Anyone can change the world if given a grand enough stage and wide enough audience, but the problem always would be getting to that stage and maintaining that audience.

So I’ve worked on my craft in hopes of one day reaching USA Today or The New York Times — lofty goals, sure, but come on, I wanted a pet dinosaur at one point too — so I could change the world for the better.

I’m not a narcissist; my face doesn’t have to be on park benches or on the sides of buses. I just have to be given a chance on the stage, even if the spotlight doesn’t shine directly on me.

A journalist has the tremendous ability to frame the day’s issues, as the journalist can mold society’s perception of a given topic.

As society’s gatekeepers, journalists are given the responsibility of deciding which information is most important, which in turn becomes what the rest of the nation talks about.

Let’s be honest, how concerned were you this past weekend about the possibility of swine flu originating in Mexico and spiraling into a pandemic outbreak?

And a columnist has the greatest ability to get dialogue started on particular issues because that job is to offer opinions and suggestions, unlike beat writers and other journalists who strive to maintain objectivity.

The development of comment sections on Web sites, such as those on statenews.com, helps further the community discussion and spur change.

Any time a columnist pens his or her position, there undoubtedly will be a counter opinion, and Web site visitors will share that opposing view — and that’s how the ball gets rolling.

Some of the comments have attacked me for ridiculous things (and by the way, I’m so glad nobody has forgotten that I am in a fraternity, that I clearly have my hair spiked in my picture and that I don’t like biology). But it shows people are reading. At least people remember what I write. It makes discussion and change possible.

I’m sane enough to know that any single column I or any columnist writes won’t create change by itself. I wrote about the need to make changes to the academic calendar, to university requirements and to the East Lansing housing situation, but nobody from the university or the East Lansing City Council called me to lay out a blueprint. I didn’t expect that, though.

But people started talking about each of these issues both on the Internet and in the East Lansing community. And even if people didn’t agree with what I wrote, I was fortunate people were at least passionate enough about the issues raised to e-mail me, comment on the Web site or even post the column on personal blogs.

I have tried to respond to every e-mail in which the reader was thoughtful and civil because I love to have this dialogue. I also love to learn, and people can teach you amazing things.

No, people can’t teach me how to become a professional baseball player, nor can they teach me how to purchase a pet dinosaur or how to grow a foot taller.

But we can talk to, listen to and learn from each other. Nobody is ever completely right and there always are multiple ways to solve a problem.

And after all that talking, listening and learning, we will have a whole arsenal of solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s issues.

And then we truly can create change.

Zach Colman is the State News opinion writer. Reach him at colmanz1@msu.edu.