Throughout my whole life, I’ve aspired to excel at everything. In school, receiving good grades in math and science as a student in STEM was never my final goal. The ultimate destination went further: to be well-versed in other subjects like English or French, to do side projects, to win in contests, to be the class president, you name it. Outside of school, I wanted to be the best at having fun, to have a variety of experiences, to be attractive in both looks and personality, you get the idea now.
There were always two types of critiques that came my way regarding my evidently overambitious trait. The first was a positive one, one that put a smile on my face every time I heard it — crediting me for my well-roundedness and versatility. However, the other critique has always echoed inside my head, haunting every decision I make — snide remarks of how I lack focus and am inconsistent. They said schools and companies value people who are dedicated to a single solid field.
This had me running chaotically in circles. It was so true. No one wants someone with scattered experiences, who can’t even settle on a single path, let alone master it. So I picked a field: engineering, and attempted to stick with it. I enrolled in an academic club focusing on Artificial Intelligence, did group projects, attended study meetings and entered contests, just completely engulfed in the field. Difficult yet rewarding, it was quite a ride, and I met some wonderful people along the way, but a part of me wanted more. I was constantly on the edge of my chair, ready to bolt and jaywalk to another field, whatever that may be. That lingering feeling never seemed to go away, and rather distracted me.
That’s when I realized that for me, diversity in what I do goes even beyond the matter of “want” and is something I “need.” I stopped trying to change myself and started to embrace my unique trait and now, rather than a fickle, unstable person, I see myself as a multifaceted person who can speak two languages, think and solve problems with an engineering mindset, code, build and maintain healthy relationships, lead, and is fun to have around.
It’s difficult not to let standards and expectations set by society get to your head. However, I believe that we’re all better off without it because differences are what makes us stand out amongst a crowd. Don’t you think chasing a life everyone else is following, that isn't even guaranteed to do you justice, is boring anyways? A life we only live once, I choose to burn passionately doing what excites me, and to do it with those who value me for who I am.