Though the word passion is only a singular word without any homophones, it can have alternate meanings. Webster’s dictionary definition of the word ‘passion’ is defined as “A strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something; a strong feeling (such as anger) that causes you to act in a dangerous way, or a strong sexual or romantic feeling for someone.” Though all of those definitions may prove to be accurate, other people may have their own way of defining what passion is.

1. Passion could mean the obvious, which is to fall in love with someone, or become addicted to them as if their love was your drug.

There’s a difference between simply giving your partner a regular hug, as opposed to a passionate hug. A passionate hug will mean more, because you’ll be able to feel the energy and how much whoever you're hugging seems to care about you. The length of a hug also shows passion as a romantic gesture. If you hug someone so quickly that it doesn’t even feel like you hugged them, then it was a friend zoned type of hug. However, if whoever you’re hugging seems to be holding you in their arms for what feels like forever, then you know that it’s a passionate hug, since their embrace is tight and memorable.

2. Passion could also mean a feeling that you feel internally strong about expressing, such as a debate.

Whether it be the Presidential debate, a debate on the pros and cons of technology, or a debate as simple as who gets the single bed in a triple room, being passionate about a certain topic/subject will guarantee that you’ll refuse to give up until you’ve clearly made your point across. Even if you may not win the debate, you’d be satisfied with making yourself known, and being heard for once, as opposed to having your opinion being brushed off like a lint on a brand new silk blouse.

3. The word passion can also branch off from the dictionary definition, and transition into nouns.

Take sports, for example. I’m normally not the most active person, yet basketball is my favorite sport. If you ask me to go running for 5 miles with you, I can 100% guarantee that I’d respectfully decline. However, if you asked me to play basketball with you for 3 hours, I’d stop whatever I’m doing, grab my basketball, and immediately head over to the courts to shoot some hoops.

People assume that being involved in a sport and being passionate about playing it also means that you have to watch games on television. Sure, I’ve watched some of the Lakers games since the Lakers are my favorite team, but I don’t have to watch EVERY game to be considered “passionate” about playing the game. If you feel yourself getting sweaty and your adrenaline is pumping, and you love the feeling that you get when you’re on the field/court, then you’re definitely passionate about sports, without a doubt.

4. Passion can also pertain to the vast subject of music.

Whether it’s simply listening to music, or actually playing instruments, the word passion is used as a form of dedication toward music. Some of my friends are passionate about Twenty One Pilots or One Direction, and they’ve gone to tons of concerts and they stay up until mid night on a school night when their favorite artist/band is getting ready to drop their new album or single.

They can be seen as being passionate toward that particular band or artist, or even as broad as an entire genre. I’m passionate about pop music, which consists of artists like Charlie Puth, Taylor Swift, Rachel Platten, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and more.

Though I may have a favorite artist, I put my heart and soul into belting out the lyrics to the latest pop song on Pandora, or buying tickets to see pop artists perform at a venue within train/bus distance. Passion in a music sense could also pertain to vocals or learning how to play an instrument of some sort. Take SUNY Purchase, for example. There’s an entire major dedicated to music, and everyone that I know who’s a part of the music conservatory barely has enough time to breathe during the week, let alone have time to hangout.

However, I can see how passionate they must be to sacrifice some of their social life, since they’re doing what they want to do, whether it’s playing an instrument, learning how to produce music, singing, or even learning how to write songs. All of that takes a lot of time and effort, but being passionate about music will definitely serve as a motivation to continue pursuing what you love to do.

5. Another noun that can be used to describe the term ‘passion’ can be acting.

Many people may think that actors/actresses make easy money, since all they have to is memorize their lines and follow the director’s orders. After having read several interviews, I learned that it takes so much more to land a role in Hollywood. It’s not just about looks, remembering a script, or blocking. To further specify,

I read in an interview with Today that Mila Kunis had to train so hard to keep the role of Lily in the Black Swan. She was forced on a strict diet and had to drop 20 pounds within a time frame of a few WEEKS. She was barely able to eat, and was forced to work 16 hour days with no breaks in between.

You have to be incredibly passionate to pursue an acting career, and I give so much credit to people who are auditioning for roles of any kind, at any age. If you’re passionate about acting, then go for it. Do what you love, and as long as you continue showing your passion for acting, then you’ll get that role that you’ve been striving and hoping to get for what seems like forever.

So, while I may not have gotten through every topic that could be considered “passionate”, the main point is that there are many ways of interpreting what the term “passion” really is. What I’d like you to be leaving the end of this article with, is for you to determine what YOU’RE passionate about, and to never stop believing in yourself. Keep being passionate, because your opinions matter. Your hobbies/extra curriculars matter. Your talents matter. YOU matter.