Moving Forward without Regrets

As we progress through life, we face various wins and upsets. We are afflicted with moments that make us crawl under the protection of our blankets and moments that inspire us to get out of our shell and show the world who we really are.  Often, our fear of these upsets make us stop taking risks, taking that extra step, or simply striving for more. We settle for mediocrity because we're scared to climb and fall off that summit that towers above us.

However, as I'm progressing through my own journey of ups and downs, I've realized a key idea. What I'm truly afraid of are not the bad moments we are all bound to experience; rather, the truly frightening idea is getting to the end of my journey full of regret, full of "should'ves" and "could'ves." I'm afraid of reaching the destination and wishing to go back to make different decisions. That is what truly frightens me.

That is why I've scoured far and wide on the world wide web in search of answers. After long hours of google searches, I've found answers...actually two answers which I would like to share with you. These are 2 fundemental ideas that I plan to live by to ensure every decision I make, good or bad, is something I can be happy with, learn from, and more importantly, not regret.

1. Live your own life

I've learned that as we grow up and transition from childhood to adolescence and then adulthood, we start to ignore what we want and instead work to make others happy. We start to let others make decisions for us, decide how we should live and who we should be with, and we start to crave their approval. We begin to live for the sole purpose of maintaining a public image that satisfies and pleases the friends, collegues, or significant others we put on a pedestal. Yet, none of that brings true fulfillment. Chasing validation from others is going to bring nothing but artificial and temporary joy. Start pursuing dreams and goals because you geniunely want to. Stop caring about what other people think and live the life you want. Don't put on this mask that hides who you truly are for the mere purpose of getting approval from others. Be you, not because it's the "cool" thing to do, not because you have something to prove, but because of the fact that there are over 7 billion people in this world and not one of them - not a single one - acts, thinks, and performs the way you do. You are unique so why take that rare gem you possess and cover it with something generic.

2. Nothing Lasts

This idea is kind of simple but often taken for granted. We sometimes forget that the items we possess, the relationships we have, and the life we live is temporary. That is why we postpone completing certain tasks because we think there's always a tomorrow - and that is our mistake. Don't take anything for granted because tomorrow is not a given. So take that extra moment to tell that special someone how much you care for them or complete that goal you've been putting off. Squeeze every drop out of every day so that every time you go to bed you feel exhausted. 

Alright... that's it.

Speech I Wrote about the Food Drive

Before I go, I wanted to talk to you all about the food drive. Every year, we have boxes set up in the cafeteria where you can donate non-perishable food items which will be given to the Calgary Food Bank, who in turn will distribute these resources to people in need. You see, many impoverished Calgarians don’t have the resources to provide for themselves or their families, and the food bank assists them in making ends meet. What might surprise you is that 4 in 10 of the people who go to food banks are people like you and I, who often find themselves starving everyday. More so, since the recession more and more people find themselves using the food bank. But enough of me spurting facts about the food bank, these people don’t deserve a scripted speech, lets be sincere here.

 What I’m here to do is urge you to donate to the food drive. Compared to Junior High and Elementary, Senior High has room for improvement. I know that in elementary you get points for bringing in donations, and in Junior High there is some other incentive, but doing the right thing shouldn’t need an incentive. Don’t get me wrong, I know it takes some effort on your part to go out and get items to donate. And you might think what difference can me bringing a few items truly have? The person next to me is probably going to bring cans, so what difference can I make. But it does make a difference for that one child, one parent, that one family. Every little thing you do adds up. You see, no great achievement was ever accomplished alone. It was achieved through the cooperation and contributions of each its members. So when you go home today and sit down at the dining table for dinner, think about those who are not as privileged as you. Think about those people who worry about what they’re going eat that night, those who are trying to survive. And think about how you have the potential to change that person’s world for one day by letting them go to bed feeling satisfied, feeling that someone cares about them to donate, feeling they’re not alone in their struggle to make ends meet. And boy, no incentive can ever compare to the feeling of knowing that you, through your actions, let one less child, parent, or family go not hungry. I urge you to look in your hearts, and donate, because at the end of the day, those boxes are going to be empty one way or another, but it’s up to us to decide how.

The Beast that is Procrastination

The art of procrastination. High school students who have mastered this art are beset with stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation. These severe afflictions can lead to a loss of relationships with family and friends, and give rise to a life filled with misery. However, there is hope. The three crucial steps outlined below will relieve you of your procrastination troubles, and you will be on your path to a prosperous life.

First, you need to acquire a planner. This planner can either be digital or tangible, but you must make sure you have access to it at all times. Now, fill your planner with the dates of all your extra-curricular activities, tests, and family commitments. If you encounter a conflict of activities, resolve the problem immediately by explaining the situation whom you dedicated your time to. Make sure you don’t double book. Remember, your life will revolve around this planner. It is the sun to your Earth. Cherish it, treasure it, and listen to it.

Thereafter, you need to dispose of all objects that could hinder your concentration. When you start your homework, or begin volleyball practice, or any other activity, make sure all possible interferences are put aside. For example, when doing homework, cut off all communication with the outside world. Do not succumb to the temptation of Instagram or Snapchat. Pour all of your attention into what you’re doing. Devote yourself to your success and give 110%.

Lastly, make sure you set mini goals and reward yourself upon accomplishing them. Often, overly ambitious high school students sit down at their desk, open their biology textbook, and try to read sixty pages continuously. This is not efficient. You will probably give up a quarter of the way through and delay the rest until tomorrow. Instead, set a goal of reading twenty pages and then take a five-minute break. Stretch, walk, or eat in those five minutes. Get your mind off the task at hand and harness those three hundred rejuvenating seconds with pleasure. Not only will these mini-goals provide incentive, but they are also scientifically proven to improve cognitive functions. Don’t exhaust your brain. Allowing yourself to reach a state of enervation is practically committing mental suicide. Thus, plan for short breaks that replenish your brain’s energy.

Through meticulously following these steps, you, a high school student, can absolve yourself of the crime that is procrastination. Only then, can you be well rested every day. Only then, can you reduce your overall stress. Only then, can you genuinely relish the learning environment of high school and excel in all aspects of your life.

My Thoughts on the Education System

The educational system is flawed, creativity is on the decline, and an increasing number of students learn the bare minimum just to get the passing grade they need. Modern instructors are putting textbooks in front of students and telling them to regurgitate the knowledge presented for next week’s test. Math teachers teach their students a formulaic approach to problems and expect them to stay within the confines of this formula if they want that mark. When teachers are asked an insightful question, they are likely to respond with “You don’t need to know that for the test” or “that’s beyond the curriculum.” School no longer inspires the minds of the next generation; it simply determines who can follow the book the best. The book known as the curriculum. Because of this students just accept what they are told. They stop thinking for themselves. Instead, they adhere to the strict guidelines imposed upon them. What other choice do they have? We are told day after day that education is the key, that if we want to get a respectable job, have a high income, and lead a prosperous life, we need to do well in school. They say marks don’t define you, they say you’re more than a grade, more than a piece of paper, but when you apply to a university, engineering or research program, the first item they require is your transcript. Your future is determined by that piece of paper. You may be passionate, a student who loves to learn, who loves to invent, but if you perform poorly on tests, these organizations will not consider you. How can society progress if we do not cultivate and inspire the creative minds of the future? Innovation will stagnate if this current ideology of education is followed. John Holt once said, “We destroy the disinterested love of learning in children, which is so strong when they are small, by encouraging and compelling them to work for petty and contemptible rewards — gold stars, or papers marked 100 and tacked to the wall, or A’s on report cards… in short, for the ignoble satisfaction of feeling that they are better than someone else…. We kill, not only their curiosity, but their feeling that it is a good and admirable thing to be curious, so that by the age of ten most of them will not ask questions, and will show a good deal of scorn for the few who do.” Moreover, we see instructors penalizing their students if they do not follow the standard approach. The student is practically being told not to think for himself. That is definitely not something that teachers, the creators of tomorrow’s leaders, should encourage. How ludicrous.
However, the first step towards change is awareness. The next is to remedy the disease that plagues our system. The educational system needs to be completely reformed to revolve around a research-based environment with less emphasis on completing a limited curriculum. To accomplish this, educators need to abolish the “memorize-and-regurgitate” method of teaching, and instead instill in their students the deeper structure of knowledge in a discipline and how different fields of study are linked. Furthermore, instructors need to help kindle students’ appetites for discovery, and motivate their natural curiosity.
Students should not utilize a “convergent thinking” approach in their lives. They should not be robots. The leaders of tomorrow need to pave the way for the future with their own novel visions. Just as Sir Isaac Newton never did particularly well in school, he is now universally known for his laws of universal gravitation. Just as Albert Einstein got mediocre grades in high school, he is regarded as one of the greatest scientists to have ever lived. Just as Thomas Edison was called mentally-ill by his teachers, he is now known as the man who lights up our lives, literally. If we truly want to reach the golden age of humanity, to transcend what is imaginable, the system needs to be reformed entirely. We need to tell students not to follow the system, but rather let the system follow them. To shape the world, not let the world shape them.