Doing What You Love

Prince C. & Nick E. As senior year slowly winds down, many students fall into one of two categories: those who become anxious about their future & those who can’t wait to go on and experience what they envision themselves doing. One of the hardest, yet significant decisions a person makes in life is deciding what career path they should take that would ultimately drive them toward success. Now, there are people out there who live a modest life and are satisfied with a family, car, and job that supports their lifestyle. On the other hand, their are gogetters who don’t settle for less. They are constantly seeking ways to get ahead, whether it be in life or in the workspace. What consolidates these two lifestyles together is the fact that both consist of doing something you love. This is the topic of the post and we’ll share our two cents of what it means to do what you love as well as give personal anecdotes of what we love to do.

Prince C. At the age of around 14, I became obsessed with this producer named Lex Luger. I probably watched every single one of his videos, from his interviews to his live studio sessions on YouTube.  His determination, his craft and creativity, intrigued me to the point where I decided I wanted to make beats. I felt if he could do it, I could do it to. So I downloaded some basic producing software which I don’t think even exist anymore but this is where I really developed my love of making beats. For 5 years, I’ve progressively gotten better(in my opinion) and found more motivation in doing so. Eventually, I moved on to a more professional software, FL Studio, where I was able to become more creative with my skills such a making more complex melodies and drum patterns. Making beats, to me, is something that I do to just kill time. I never really look at it as something I would profit off of, just because I believe there really no money in the rap industry for producers due to the fact that  it is now becoming a lost art with the influx of aspiring producers.  

When I entered high school, I immediately knew I wanted to be rich... I mean who doesn’t? But I wanted to make money while making the world a better place and by this desire alone, I settled on the field of computer science. What started as testing the waters in web design and learning the syntax of HTML, my thirst for mastery of computer science grows exponentially everyday. I feel there is so much potential that can be done with the use of computers and it is seen today with the latest inventions such as Virtual Reality, 3D Printing, and so much more. Being a computer science major requires lots of hardwork and analytical thinking that I never really manifested within myself. However, I try my best everyday to overcome my habits of giving up because in computer science, when you’ve been trying to get a program to work and it finally gives, it is like a virgin diving in pussy for the first time. There has been times where I’d just call it quits and go on Twitter until I fall asleep. But upon waking up, I often disappoint myself because I haven’t improved from the day before which is my ultimate goal in life: get better everyday.

The point I’m trying to prove here is that doing what you love or trying something new that you’re interested in can open up unimaginable opportunities for yourself as well as others. For me, making a beat or creating websites has never felt tedious because I enjoy learning from my mistakes and building on the things that I learn. Looking back, I never thought I’d be in the position that I’m in now. I’ve attended several college events based on my willingness to go out a new things one of which includes a 6-week summer program at Cooper Union. My message to you is: GET OFF THAT PHONE AND TAKE YOUR PASSIONS SERIOUSLY!

Nick E. Since I was in 4th grade, I’ve always enjoyed acting and singing, and I’ve grown to develop an insane passion and love for the both of those things. At the time, I joined my middle school’s chorus and the school play, and I never anticipated how much I would begin to learn from these activities. When I first began acting and singing, I experienced a lot of stage fright. My face would get as red as a tomato just from singing or performing in front of my few friends or peers. However, I realized the only way for me to get over this fear was to keep going, and that’s what I did. Going through middle school, I really began to notice how much I loved performing in the school shows and singing. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t give up on it in high school, and I stuck to that.

Maintaining my interest in acting and singing has truly defined who I am as a person. Because of being involved in theatre, I have become a genuinely nicer person, I am much more friendly with everyone, and I’ve gained so many friends I don’t think I would’ve met if it wasn’t for my involvement in theatre. The theatre program at our school is a family, a community, and we all want to see each other succeed. I am extremely thankful that I became involved in theatre, because I have developed my skills in ways I never thought I would be able to, and I’ve met so many amazing people. I will be honest, not so much anymore, but when I would tell people I was involved in theatre or that I act and sing, I wouldn’t always get the best reactions. In middle school, school bullies would target me solely for this reason, and call me “gay” or a “little choir boy” simply because I enjoy doing these things. Even sort of recently, a grown adult asked a parent I know if I was “gay,” solely basing this accusation off of the fact that I’m involved in acting and singing. Obviously, going into all of this, I knew theatre isn’t the typical field of choice for males, but it was my choice, and I still believe it was the best choice I could have ever made. The incredibly supportive people around me in my life have constantly pushed me to achieve my goals, and I think that is one of the major reasons why I never even second guessed my love for acting and singing. I hope one day, when I make my dreams a reality, I can repay them for all they’ve done for me.

I think my experience can really show others that no matter what, pursue what you love. Don’t worry about what other people think, who likes you or doesn’t like you, who supports your decision or who doesn’t; go do whatever you want to do. Whatever makes YOU happy, is what you should look to do in life. As I continue in life, I do not plan on ever giving up acting or singing, because it’s what I love to do. In the future, whatever career you decide to choose, make sure it is something you can enjoy and love doing every day, so “work” doesn’t actually feel like work. If you’re passionate about something, or if you have a dream, hold on to that, and take it for a ride.