2 hour essays

1:: Oneiric Fantasies

Prompt: Think about your first aspirations. Write about which ones you've completed, abandoned, or are currently in the process of achieving.

Started: 5:38 pm

Ended: 6:59 pm

If wishful thinking could influence the world outside of our heads, I'd been a Youtuber when I was nine years old. I'd be a Youtuber now as well. I have always treasured watching Youtube, and I do so as I write this. I love the access to resources that I'd never otherwise get the site provides. I love how it can connect me with people who care about all the obscure, niche interests I have. I love how it offers such a quick and easy escape from my day-to-day life.And it's never not been my dream ever since I've had one.

But suppose you met me in person and asked what I want to accomplish when I get older. In that scenario, if I were being earnest, I'd tell you that I want to move into the field of sociology and conduct studies and surveys of my own. If I weren't, I'd say paranormal investigation would be my primary goal.

The reasons I wouldn't answer the question (entirely) honestly are the same as most people; I'm embarrassed to admit to that as a dream career, and I know it's a demanding and unrealistic profession to break into. The odds of success are not in my favour, and I would never disadvantage myself by lying about that. But, of course, it's still my dream for a reason. I know myself well enough to know I'm too stubborn and imaginative to let odds and probabilities get in my way.

So, what am I doing then?

I've spread the time I spend on my dreams out. In my academic life, I'm working much harder to enhance my grades and reach out to the community for volunteering options. I've started to invest money into subscriptions for editing programs, so I can get good enough to put it down as a hobby when I apply to higher education institutions. I'm thinking about extra-curriculars, the ACT and SAT. And in my downtime, I'm researching issues I'm passionate about and pouring effort and time into video games, edits, and my job. I'm doing all I can to achieve at least one of my dreams.

Sometimes it feels like I need to do more, that I'm committing too little to the things I am most passionate about. But when I take a step back, it brings things into focus. I realize that I pour so much of myself and my life into my dreams and that the experience has helped me become more thoughtful and driven. I'm glad about my progress, and if I ever feel like I've done too little, it's only a reminder to do even more.

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442 words!