Sometimes I wish that I stayed committed to dance, cheer, theater, singing and my many other childhood ventures. Why didn't I push further to make these things my passion? Why did I let them stall? Throughout my childhood, I was on a search for something that was my "thing." Whether it was in the performing arts or not, I wanted something that I would carry on forever.

I remember from elementary school to high school, I would hear people talking about their dance recitals the following weekend or I would take a glimpse of someone drawing an amazing, well-detailed self-portrait in art class. I took visual arts for three years straight thinking that this was where I would find my passion. I was wrong, since I can barely draw a stick figure at this point. I felt talent-less.

I realized that I was searching for my passion in the wrong places. I was trying to make other people's passions my own. I failed to differentiate between talent/hobby from what I truly loved doing.

It took me years to find out that my passions are traveling, my academics and bringing change. Even though they do not result in a dance recital at the end of the week or any type of artistic abilities, they are things that I enjoy doing.