by BRIANNA SICILIANO
Social Media Coordinator

We are only young for a short period of time. It seems as if our entire youth is spent studying, learning, and preparing to do the same in the future. In high school, we are preparing ourselves from college, and in college we will be preparing ourselves for the “real” world.

We already live in the real world, and as high schoolers, we are practically on our way to living on our own. College is a short distance away, and by now you must feel the pressure to do things to impress colleges.

Stop it.

Instead of participating in activities to impress colleges, start participating in activities that you enjoy. If you have a passion for helping animals, spend your time volunteering at animal shelters instead of volunteering as a tutor for a subject you hate. If you have a passion for photography, writing, music, technology, etcetera, spend some time getting your feet wet in those fields.

If you are interested in becoming a nurse, spend time working or volunteering at a nursing home or an elderly community. Look for internships, volunteer opportunities, or job opportunities in the fields that you are passionate about. Doing this will make you happier in the long run, and it will also help you stand out to your desired schools.

Fast forward a few years of your life and picture yourself applying to jobs. What is going to make you stand out from all the other job applicants? You will most likely all have degrees, and you might all be desperate for jobs. How are you going to ensure that YOU are the one who is picked?

Now look at the opportunities that are surrounding you at this very moment. Some people are lucky enough to realize what their passions are at a young age. If you are one of these people, do not take this gift for granted. By turning your passion into your career path, you can ensure that every day you show up to work, you will not be dreading it.

If you are unsure as to what you are passionate about, or you are unsure of what you think you might want to pursue as a career path, try out different activities. Volunteer your time at different places, sign up for different electives, and join different clubs. You will quickly learn what you enjoy and what you cannot stand.

Avoid planning every decision for your future and instead, live your life. Spend time doing things you love. Everyone faces setbacks, everyone faces downfalls, and everyone has the ability to follow their dreams.

Will you make your dreams your reality? Will you make sure you get into your dream school and spend your life working your dream job? It can be possible if you start building up your resume now.