Pursuing Your Passions

Pursuing your passions is not the easiest thing to do. Since there are many eyes watching, students struggle to embrace their individuality and find what their true passions are. Many people these days tend to be caught up in the influences of society and are confined by the media in what they do and think because of their fear of judgement.

In contrast to the vast majority, there are the students who have already found their passions. They have set their goals and are now fixed on achieving those goals.

Hannah Song is a classical violinist, a performer and a teacher. She attends the K12 online school for academics and Colburn School for music. This is her “fourth year homeschooling, [through the] online public school”.

In an interview with JSR, she commented that “even though I dread it sometimes, I set goals on what I really love to do because in the end, I do not regret the hours I put into the violin”. Her final goal/career is “to perform in front of an audience consistently.” She added that it does not matter if she does “not become a world class soloist” and that she simply hopes she is “happy with what [she’s] doing with [her] talents for the rest of [her] life.

Naomi Kim is passionate about figure skating and synchronized skating. She has “been figure skating for around nine years [and] synchronized skating for four years” on Team Del Sol (San Diego) and she skates “year-round with an exception of maybe May.” Although her schedule is packed, skating “everyday for at least two hours” with “one or two days of off-ice fitness training”, she manages to fit school into her busy schedule. She does not homeschool.

She claimed that “though it requires a lot of dedication and time, I am so glad I can do what I love!” She also pointed out that “unlike what a lot of people who know [her] might think, [she] does not want to continue skating when [she is] older.” However, she brought up that she is “interested in testing and studying to be an international figure skating judge.”

However, unlike the handful of students who have found their passions, many students have not, especially since it is hard to figure it out when there is a vast, unknown future ahead. If you are struggling to decide what career path you want to take, the best way to find out is to seize all the opportunities that come your way. It does not matter if during the process you don’t like it. By trial and error, you can narrow down your interests until you find what appeals to you and fits you best. You can also apply to internships in different career areas and try and feel it out to see if it’s something you are interested in.

Stephanie Kim, a sophomore at Diamond Bar High School, has yet to pinpoint what exactly she wants to pursue. However, she says that “ever since I was little, I realized that I really liked art.” Stephanie is unsure which specific area she wants to major in, whether arts or music, but to find out and “to achieve it, I practice more and more.”

Attending a public or private four year high school is the normal life of teenagers. However, we should not be afraid to step out of our comfort zones to find what our true passions and talents are. We need to shut out the distractions and fears that keep us from realizing them. For those who have already found their passions, homeschooling may be an option to fully pursue and focus your passions. Or, if you can juggle both your passion and a fruitful high school life, that scenario is a win win situation: you should take advantage of it.