{Source}
From a young age, we’ve been taught to have big dreams and do what we can to make them happen. But as we are exposed to the world’s harsh realities, goals we have might never be achieved. After a phone call with a friend, it dawned that I am a dreamer. I think far ahead into the future, paying no mind to the inevitable struggles that come with aspirations. But on the other hand, there are realists, using facts to see things for what they are. But the big question is: can you meet halfway with your dreams and the realities of them? This inspired me to interview 6 friends who have different perspectives on the question, plus more. Here is what they had to say:
Ellisha, 15
Q1: As a friend of mine for a few years now, I’ve come to know the kind of person you are, but would you mind telling readers a little bit about yourself?
A: I’m fifteen years old and the youngest child of three. I’d like to describe myself as a thinker; sometimes I overthink, but then I underestimate myself and don’t think at all. I go through the daily struggles everyone else goes through and complain 24/7! *laughs*
Q2: I’m sure that even from a young age, you had lots of goals that evolved as you got older. Although there are obstacles that get in the way of our dreams, what are some that come to mind that motivate you now & for the future?
A: For the future, a goal of mine is to be A. successful because, of course, everyone would want to be successful; B. is to be a good mother to my children, and I also wanna pursue something in the medical field. I don’t wanna be sitting at a desk for the rest of my life. If it’s giving IVs or medication, that’s making a difference.
Q3: Do you believe that the dreams you have are out-of-reach? If so, what is stopping you? But if not, what are the challenges you think other people who have similar dreams might face?
A: Yes, I do think that dreams are out of our reach, mainly because dreams are there to motivate us to continue to develop our personality. All you need in a dream is to become happy and content with your life. As we grow, we learn more about ourselves; sometimes our dreams aren’t what we’re supposed to be because it can be the complete opposite. One thing that really stops me is the feeling of not being good enough; not reaching all the expectations, not being as good as you were, not being as good as your older siblings, and not being the person you’re supposed to be.
Q4: Is there some way you can meet halfway with your dreams and the realities of them?
A: I don’t necessarily think that dreams are what we become. I think that they’re just motivation to help you grow. Yes, there are some people that do become their dreams, and I do hope that I become a doctor or nurse one day. We’ll see what life has in store for me.
Q5: What is some advice you can give to your future self & to our readers when it comes to finding a medium?
A: When there are troubles, count your blessings. Think about what you have and how your life situation is not the worst. I’ve been through a lot and I can still say that I haven’t gone through anything. Don’t necessarily become what your parents want you to be, but what will make you happy. I’m not saying don’t become an engineer because you sit around all day doing research, but because you want to and wanna learn more about the world. At the end of the day, you just need to know that you’re happy and content. I’d rather be poor and have a happy family with a job that I love to do than living a rich life alone.
Tanya, 15
“I’m fifteen, I’m vertically challenged…oh my God, who am I?
I’m very outgoing and I’m always open to new things, which I think is great! I may not be the smartest thing alive, but I’m not the most stupid; that will get me kinda far…it got me to high school!
One of my dreams is to travel, and if humans are able to go outside the world, then we’re able to go around it. If they are able to reach the stars, then so can I! But people may not have enough money to travel. Maybe they’re stopping themselves from committing the dream because they’re scared and don’t know if they’re gonna be enough.
It’s not like you’re gonna fulfill 100% of your dreams because that’s unrealistic. At least meet some point of it where you’re happy; I think that’s all that really matters in the end.
The only advice I can give is something that people tell me all the time: never be against yourself. There’s so many things in the world that are gonna be against you and your dreams, but all that matters is you.“
Kellyrose, 16
“My name is Kellyrose Castro, I’m in grade 10, and I go to Bishop O’Byrne High School. My favorite color’s purple, and I came from the Philippines in 2006. And my favorite food is spaghetti!
My dream is to have a career, travel around the world, have a family, and maybe help out children in the Philippines. My mom, when she was young, couldn’t really afford to go to school, so she had to work at the same time. And so, I want to help those kids so that doesn’t happen to them.
I don’t think it’s impossible to fulfill my dreams, but I think some of the problems that people who have similar dreams might face is financial problems. They might not have enough to money to travel the world or help the people around them. I need to work really hard and finish university so I can get a good job and fulfill my dreams. I can then help the children and travel!
Some advice that I will give to my future self and the readers is to work hard and to have hope that your dreams will actually happen. Never think about the negatives, but instead, the positives!“
Christian, 15
“I’m fifteen years old, I work at Tim Hortons, and I’m gay. That’s pretty much it. *laughs*
I wanted to be a chef, but now I’m trying to be a vet because I love animals; I could go to the zoo and volunteer!
My dreams are kind of stopping me because I can’t focus on my studies. But then, I would like to achieve my dreams so my family can be proud of me. Keep dreaming, but then go for what you want! My aspiration is to be successful, but I don’t wanna get my hopes up.”
Isabella, 16
“Hi, I am Isabella Guimet! I am from Peru and I came in 2009. I’m in grade 10 at Bishop O’Byrne High School. My interests are: skiing, hiking or anything that’s outside…I like reading too! My favorite color is light blue and I’m gonna be famous someday!
I want to know what I want to be when I grow up! I also want to grow my feet (somehow) because it’s hard to find the right shoe size. *cues laughing fit between the two of us* Another goal is to be better at skiing!
I think I can reach my dreams by working hard, determination, and perseverance. Challenges are: money and where you live. For example, if you want to surf and you live in Alaska, the water’s too cold, so you need to move to Vancouver! And also, the experience you have. Like, if you don’t know how to type and the job requires you to type, you need to learn that new skill.
Imagine that I wanna be able to fly. I can’t fly fully myself, but I can take a plane and fly! And then, I wanna get better at skiing, so every winter, I go to ski and get better everyday.
Something I would say to my future self would be: good job, you did well. Readers, to find a medium, you should be happy, rest, eat, sleep, and play! I think that someday I will be able to live my aspirations fully because I would have worked hard and am happy with the way things are.”
Mikaela, 18
“My name is Mikaela Nidoy and I am a grade 12 student at Bishop O’Byrne. I would describe myself as a child of the Lord and a dedicated supporter of many things such as Harry Potter, Ellen Degeneres, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Grey’s Anatomy! They added something in my life that really help me become the person I am. And lastly, I like food!
It was my dream to become a surgeon, but with the courses I took within my years of high school, I realized that that’s not a possibility anymore. But it’s not gonna stop me from wanting to save people and trying to be involved. I try to be helpful, not only to my family, but within the community. Other than occupation goals, I want to travel the world. Another goal is to put my family at ease because no one is ever financially stable.
What stops me is the mistakes I’ve made in the past. There are many dreams that I feel are out-of-reach because I’m more of a dreamer, but it can’t stop me completely as I have help from my family. There are many challenges, but I can’t just lay down and give up. One of my inspirations, J.K. Rowling, once said she hit rock bottom so hard that it became the foundation to rebuild her life. It’s hard when there’s too many things in your way, but I’m gonna do me. I’m on my own path and I think my path is pretty damn cool.
I hate compromising, so it’s hard being in the middle. But last fall, when I was part of the school play, I had to take some spares to go along with my studies and cut back on my work hours. You always have to make sacrifices and put a lot of work in order to have the intended result.
In order to be happy and seek out what is best for me, I pray and talk to my parents. Another thing is be open-minded and don’t be set on one goal that blinds you from everything else. There are many important things, like yeah, your trip to New York is important, but what about a trip to Paris? Everything you’re doing now should lead to your future, but don’t forget the present moment. Don’t just try to work on a life that you want for tomorrow; you have to be happy now as well.
If you’re sad, I have a friend that’s a fish who told me to “just keep swimming.”“
Was there a person/perspective that you related to most? Does this change your outlook on your dreams at all? Let me know what you think!
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver
Best wishes,
Kandace 🙂