by: Maleah Thompson, senior, William A. Hough High School
AP classes. Volunteer work. Extracurricular activities. Sports. These activities used to be considered pursuits for people who did not feel challenged enough and were genuinely interested in pursuing something extra. Society now curates them to where they are no longer extraneous, but they are a requirement “to succeed in life”, or so I have been told. People volunteer solely for the purpose of having hours for their National Honor Society application, not because they care for the cause they are helping.
I have participated in countless AP classes, clubs, work, and volunteer activities yet I still find myself falling short of where I want to be. I applied to college during October of this year and found myself compiling my entire high school career, yet I could not even fill the ten allotted slots for the Common App “Activities” section. I have taken all of the classes I am interested in, earning A’s in all but two yet I am still 47th in my class. Not to invalidate where I am at a large, academically challenging school, but it is difficult to accept that I did almost everything I could yet still came just a little too short. Rather than participating in activities without intrigue or taking GPA boosters that foster no interest, I find it is much more productive to have a smaller, more important, concentrated group of activities that truly enhance personal growth
My personal passion over the past four years has been through the club DECA. I have found myself genuinely growing and finding a love for the club and the people involved in it. I would much rather have a strong connection through a club with leadership than scattered activities to give me a higher quantity simply to say “I did it”.
Over the past month I have taken a step back and realized all that I have accomplished in the past four years and how excited I am to further my progress in the world. You do not need to take ten AP classes to be deemed worthy. You do not need to join every single club your school has to offer. High school, even college, does not define you. There is so much more value in participating in pursuits that foster growth and learning that form from genuine interest rather than simply using it to fulfill a standard set by those who are looking for the unattainable.