By Srabon Nath
If you are in high school, chances are that you really aren’t worried about much of your
future other than college (and even that becomes a big worry only in senior year). But many of
you are in a similar situation where you really aren’t sure what you want to do when you grow
up. While you shouldn’t be too stressed about the far future, taking some initiative is not a bad
thing.
Finding something that you enjoy can be one of the first steps that you want to take. And
you don’t even have to be in high school to do this. Finding a passion/hobby is easier when you
are younger and have more time. This might be something related to art, a musical
instrument, a sport, or becoming skilled at something. The thing about hobbies is that you won’t
like most of them. However, finding the ones that you truly do enjoy is how you form an idea of
what to do when you grow up. For example, if you always liked drawing or some form of art from
when you were young, you might find that becoming a graphic designer could suit your creative
personality.
Another important thing that you should especially do in high school builds your
network. This doesn’t really have to be that difficult. You can build connections with almost
anyone you meet. You could build a network of your school friends, a network of people who like
doing the same thing as you, or a network of people that you find to be role models. These
networks serve as a way of finding opportunities, constantly challenging yourself, and keeping
updated with important things.
To take charge of your future, you want to stand out. This means you want to do unique
things that not everyone can do. This also means that joining the biggest clubs in your school
really doesn’t help you stand out since a good part of your school is in it. You want to take
opportunities that show that you’re really skilled at something, you’re really dedicated to
something, or that you have what it takes to take on challenges. This usually can come from
the passions that you built up in your childhood. Everyone can be part of their school band,
but not everyone could win a music competition. Things such as these really set you up for the
future and take you out of your comfort zone. Mainly, focus on refining what you can already do
and taking it to the next level, instead of just following the crowd!