I consider myself as a dreamer; every day, I conjure up new ideas from the back of my head. Most of them come in the form of novel ideas, in which I would take down in word documents, legal pads, and notecards.

Other times, I would go online and find ways to make these dreams into a reality, whether it’s writing an article or applying for a program. I also draw out my thoughts based off of what I’ve observed and what I wanted to conceive in my mind.

Yet sometimes, these dreams just remain that, dreams. A colorful dream which remained in my mind for a long time until it fades in the background into a shade of gray. I get excited about a new project, work on it for a while and then, when it seems too overwhelming, I give up on it entirely until it’s too late.

Frequently, when I was younger, my mother asserted that I could be anything I wanted, as long I worked hard and had a clear focus on my goals. Up until high school, it was easy. I read many books, studied hard in school, and then saw the results come through with high GPAs and honors recognition. I got accepted to an elite high school, did the same process, and committed myself to get into university.

Once in, I found myself in an ocean of ambiguity.

Naturally, I committed myself to classes - as the International Studies major was one of “capacity constrained classes," which required good grades and an essay to get into, I wanted to do well in them. Despite the readings and writing involved, I managed to complete them, and got into the major of my choosing.

However, I also find myself in ambiguity towards what to do next - knowing my skills and my interests, I would like to work at a think tank and do research. And then, one day, publish novels and plays along with poetry, go abroad, meet new people. Maybe even become famous.

Despite the lectures I’ve received and the advice I’ve heard, I can’t seem to disciple myself with regards to time and money, two things I've generously spent.

***

To the little dreamer out there, keep holding on to dreams like baubles on a Christmas tree, like stars in the sky. They are precious and worth having - otherwise, I wouldn’t see a life without them. If my parents didn’t have dreams about me, then they wouldn’t push me to do all of the things that have helped me reach my potential.

However, if you’re still ravishing in the color of your dreams like myself, with nowhere to go, I would suggest getting some fresh air and time to think. These sparks require fuel to create a flame, so one could light the world. And unfortunately, finding fuel is hard if one wants to make a bonfire.

But with the dawn, one could commit to little actions, and begin on a greater, more beautiful goal. And that’s what I want to do for 2018, like you.