Something I have never understood is that growing up, we were always told that we could one day be whatever we wanted to be. We were told that we should dream big and as long as we tried hard enough, we could achieve our dreams. We were told that we were different from everyone and that made us special and that was a good thing. But now, our differences are mocked and looked down on. If you stand out too much from the crowd to some people it seems as if you are looking for trouble. We must now also be ‘realistic” – even more, heartbreaking is most people no longer go after what they actually want, they are chasing a paycheck rather than their dreams. But what has made us so jaded? Is it just part of growing up, does it have to be? Someone has to be a writer, a dancer, a chef, a race car driver, an astronaut, etc...why not you?

What made you lose so much faith in yourself that you decided you could no longer be the thing you wanted to be since you were a little kid? When you sat in a circle with your classmates and your teacher asked what you wanted to be when you grew up and you exclaimed your answer with confidence, do you still have that fire? Or maybe your interests changed, you went through life and found your passion, that is okay too. But I am tired of people telling me that my passions can only be a hobby. I am guilty of being ashamed of my dreams because I am not looking for the typical 9-5. That is just not me, but I often envy those with a real solid plan, I wish I had that sort of foresight. But when people ask why I picked my majors, or what I want to do after University, I more often than not reply with a pathetic “I don’t know”, but I do know. Mostly. I know I want to write, I want to finish my novels, I want to one day create something someone out there will love and maybe learn from. I want to travel and learn and help animals and people. I want to make my parents proud, but most importantly, I want to be happy, and I now vow to never give up on my childhood dreams.