Growing up, I’ve never had “a thing.” I liked a lot of different things, but often felt out-of-place as I saw my friends excel in public speaking, math and service. Not knowing made me insecure about my own future — most adults can only have one full-time job, after all. I tried to convince myself that I liked being well-rounded, but as I engaged in conversations with adults and college counselors, they stressed the importance of specializing in only one or a few things and developing a singular, personal “story.”
As someone who is more well-rounded than specialized, I saw myself to be at a disadvantage for the college admissions process and for my future career, whatever it may be. Without distinguishing features or narrowed, developed involvement, I feared I would blend in with the 10s of thousands of other well-rounded applicants to college admissions counselors. To strengthen my profile, I abandoned activities and adopted others, constricting myself to fit a specific mold.
I have found that colleges’ preference for unique applicants and their aim to create a tapestry or salad bowl of different talents is a premier flaw in the college admissions system. This system does not account for the talents of the well-rounded. Though they should not stop seeking out unique applicants, I believe colleges should want students who are adaptive and can shapeshift to fit different molds. Every day in the real world, problems arise that we cannot solve and we rely on others to solve them for us. The skill I see undervalued in college admissions is versatility.
I don’t think I’m insecure about my lack of specialization anymore. A person who finds their sole “thing” is just not who I am, at least for now. I’m a person who enjoys having options. I’m not quite yet ready to set out on one path. What if, when I’m too far gone, I decide it’s not for me? I’d rather begin to explore as many paths as I can while I still can. I have found that, for me, quantity and quality are interlinked. I don’t prioritize one, but use each to strengthen the other.
High school, for any underclassman who may be reading this, is a golden, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expose yourself to new things — to find both your interests and disinterests and discover how to self-discover. The ability to explore fearlessly and boldly is one of the most beneficial things to be equipped with for early adulthood. Putting your head down because you feel stuck on something may cause you to miss an even better opportunity that’s staring you right in the face.
Don’t second guess trying a new sport, instrument or subject just because it doesn’t “fit your mold.” Explore, change and diversify yourself. The world has already recognized value in our differences from one another; we need to start acknowledging the value in our own diverse skill sets.
