A Passion for Learning

W.B Yeats wrote an amazing quote that goes like this: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but rather the lighting of a fire” Although I only just heard this quote and it has not followed me along my journey up until this point, I think it will have a big impact on my upcoming life as a high school graduate, and a freshman in college. This quote not only exemplifies the fact that education is important and necessary, it also shows that education is not just a tedious task, it is something to be passionate about, and I have a feeling this state of mind is going to be very helpful to be as I step out of my comfort zone to pursue my dreams in the years to come.

As a senior in highschool I am preparing myself to move on in the world and pursue bigger and better things, hopefully far beyond high school drama and a minimum wage job. Ever since I was little I have dreamt up what I would do as a grown up in the grown up world. I contemplated being a rockstar more than once and was absolutely sure that whatever I did it had to involve being famous and everybody knowing my name. This was a passion that lasted right up until freshman year of highschool when I realized that real life is harder than this imaginary world I have been living in. This state of mind lasted up until junior year, when I came to the life altering realization that I did not have to be famous to have an amazing life, and even better.. The real world does have some pretty amazing opportunities that do not involve sitting at a desk all day.

This year, I have decided that I will be going to University of Southern Maine for college next year and majoring in American Sign Language. This career allows me to help people who feel isolated from the world, and need someone who gets them and how to communicate with them, and I think that is way more fulfilling than everyone knowing my name.

Now, this story does not end here. I do not immediately go off to follow my dreams, which all happen just the way I planned and everything is fine. No. I am terrified! I am moving away from home, and everybody that I know to enter a place filled with strangers, only to pursue a career I know little to nothing about. This fear has made me contemplate chasing my dreams more than once, but Yeats quote reminded me of something very important: pursuing my dreams means being passionate about them, and the education that it going to get me there! There is a passion for learning building up inside of me like a raging fire, telling me to step out of my comfort zone and into my future. I can not chose the easy way out, take classes that I am familiar with and pursue a career that is not for me. I need to dive into something new, learn more about what I am passionate about and flourish because of it. I am chasing after this dream because this is what I want, not because it is going to be easy. Education is not easy, but it is way more fulfilling if you light the fire inside of you and follow your dreams!

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