Find Your Passion by Grace

Find Your Passion by Grace - March 2019 Scholarship Essay

“Yes, I know it makes no sense that all of our hallways are labeled with letters and this one is labeled with a number; I don’t know why it exists, just remember that it does so you don’t get lost on your first day.” This is a practical piece of advice for incoming members of the freshmen class of Snider High School. Putting this advice to use, they would not make the same mistakes I did. While this advice is useful, it is not the primary advice I would give while leading a tour of my school. In addition to factual guidance of how to get around the school, I would tell incoming freshmen to explore new opportunities.
Through trying as many new classes, sports and clubs as possible, students will find the activities they enjoy most and will develop intrinsic skills necessary for the following years of high school and throughout their lives. As a freshman, I placed my grades above everything else; this habit was not necessarily bad, but I missed out on opportunities to become well-rounded. I neglected playing piano and declined joining the spell bowl or academic team, activities that I enjoyed in middle school. Thankfully, my English teacher was also the speech team coach and encouraged me to try out. Speech has been an activity I have enjoyed for four years, immersing myself in seven different categories over four seasons. When the band director announced an additional piano player was needed for jazz band, I pursued an additional activity, becoming more well-rounded in the process. I was elated to spend my time practicing for jazz festivals and speech competitions instead of obsessing over my studies. The best part? I was happier and only one of my grades dropped by a mere half letter.
Freshman year is overwhelming. Adjusting to a new schedule, difficult classes and a new building is easier said than done. Even harder than the adjustment is finding your passion and your place. Through being involved in the speech team and jazz band, I found I was passionate about communicating, but more suited to speech rather than the creative act of completing jazz solos. In my sophomore year, I stopped my participation in jazz band and became more dedicated to speech, also adding spell bowl and science club to my portfolio. Additionally, I pursued my journalism hobby by joining the online newspaper staff. I won two awards for articles I wrote that year and went on to win five more in my junior year.
Through participating in speech and journalism, I have gained honorable experience for a career in communications. What I encourage incoming freshman to do is immerse themselves in multiple activities to find what best suits them. They can quit activities they are not passionate about and become even more dedicated to those they are as they continue their high school experience. High school is more than just education, it is the place where people make new friends, find their passion, grow intellectually and socially.
“Your high school experience is what you make of it. Make sure that it is enjoyable.”