A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes
Ali Madurowicz, Staff Writer
February 13, 2012
Filed under Opinion
Every child has a dream. Whether that dream is to be a princess, a firefighter, or an astronaut, it doesn’t matter. A child’s dream is the most beautiful expression of pure determination.
However, as kids grow up, their once innocent and naive aspirations are lost in a mix of social and academic pressures. It seems a person’s stereotype in high school becomes who they are expected to be for the rest of their lives.
High school has become a daily competition of who has the best grades, gets into the best schools, and has the best clothes – it’s an exhausting and vicious cycle where everyone is trying to impress everyone else for the wrong reasons.
I admit, I’ve fallen into this stupid mindset. But now, looking back, I realize what a waste of time it is to try to compete in everything. Everyone has their strengths in life. Not everyone can get into Stanford, and not everyone can stay up to date with Vogue; just do your best and be happy with your accomplishments.
The constant pressure from peers and parents has reached a new level. The pressure no longer guides students in a direction; it molds and shapes them into what everyone else wants them to be and sometimes overshadows the innocent dreams they once had as a child.
Growing up, all As were expected of me on my report cards. My parents didn’t bribe me or threaten me– it was purely expected that if I didn’t live up to the standards, I was punished. The feeling of being expected to be excellent has been carried throughout my life, which has taken its toll.
All parents want success for their children. But the definition of “success” gets lost in communication. While one may see success as a high paying job after graduating from Harvard, another may see success as fulfilling the dream of going to art school and subsequently working long hours for minimal pay.
Though students want to fit in and make their parents proud, they need to remember their personal aspirations and have faith in themselves to make those dreams come true, despite the standards and pressures set by society.
Personally, I have been given an opportunity to follow my dreams and accomplish something I’ve been passionate about since I was young enough to know about acceptance rates, GPAs, or the SAT. I am graduating high school early to be a Disney princess aboard the Disney Cruise — and really, what little girl doesn’t dream of that?
It’s a bold choice of mine that took a lot of thinking before reaching a decision. My main concern was not going to college. Everything I had worked for in the past 18 years of my life was aimed at college. Now, I am able to accomplish my dream of performing and then enroll at a university for the Spring semester.
There is life beyond high school, beyond the drama, the homework, the dances, and the tests. I’m not saying a high school student should sit at home and not be involved in activities. I am a firm believer of being connected within the local and school community. But realize there is an abundance of opportunities beyond these high school walls and beyond others’ limited expectations.
I have chosen to take this job over graduating with my class, senior burger day, grad night, the senior boat dance… everything high school seems to lead up to. However, high school isn’t leading up to these events, it’s leading up to the beginning of your future.
It seems weird to be required to know what I want to do for the rest of my life, because honestly it will probably change. I know I don’t want to work on a cruise ship for the rest of my life. Accepting this job has been one step in fulfilling my own purpose in life, and that purpose is to live it to the fullest and never let life’s adventures end.
A child’s dreams are truly an expression of naive determination. These children don’t realize that the dreams they create for themselves are nearly impossible to obtain without hard work. However, teenagers need to hold onto those dreams and never let them go because wishing at 11:11 may be what they think they want, but a dream is a wish that their heart truly makes on its own.
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Hang out with friends who are like-minded and who are also designing purpose-filled lives. Similarly, be that kind of friend for your friends.” -Mark Twain