Almost every student has been asked the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The infamous question may be asked as young as first grade, or it may change its form in high school to something along the lines of “What do you want to major in?” or “What do you want to do with your life?”

No matter how the question is phrased, it may cause a student to fall down a rabbit hole of interests, passions, and careers in order to find a way to provide an answer.

When trying to answer this question or find my passions, I have seemingly addressed every field, topic, or subject. I have gone from wanting to be an astronaut as a child, to wanting to be a surgeon after watching Grey’s Anatomy, to finding an interest in the field of psychology, to becoming interested in law from my extracurricular activities.

So many students are figuring out their lives in such a short period of time that it is no wonder they may flip-flop from wanting to major in biology to finding passion in a completely opposite field such as English or theatre arts.

During my sophomore year, I began participating in Mock Trial, followed by participation in Speech and Debate during my junior year. One thing that these extracurriculars have taught me is that the best way to find yourself is through trial and error.

When I joined these clubs, I was hesitant to hear about the time commitments they required or the additional work I would have to do to succeed. However, after I continued practicing and trying my best in these clubs, I have truly found that I have a passion for both public speaking and law.

As a senior, this has allowed me to focus on colleges that allow me to continue these passions and participate in programs that may inspire me to go forward with public speaking or help me to discover that it may not be for me.

I was recently speaking to my sister about this topic. This conversation showed me the stress and difficulty of finding yourself. It is hard to place yourself into a category such as “athlete” or “volunteer” or “writer,” but it is possible to find out who and what you want to be.

My advice for all students is to put yourself out there. Join clubs you are unsure about; do things out of your comfort zone. High school is a period for self-exploration and self-discovery.
Whether you decide you want to be a professional athlete or a doctor, the first step is finding your passions.