This is a topic essay from my English 12 class. I really liked writing it and I got a 6 out of 6, and for those of you in BC who have taken English 12, you will understand what a feat that is! Anyway- I had an hour and a half to write this, and I thought I would share it with you all! I hope you enjoy it!
Astronaut, fireman, police officer, marine biologist, actor. Five professions which are constantly brought up by elementary students when the teacher discusses what everyone wants to be when they grow up. By the time most adolescents reach the high school level they have often lost track of what they wanted to be. Many teenagers in their high school years have no idea what career path they want to follow. Why have most of them given up on what they once dreamed of being? Perhaps a teacher told them to decide on a more attainable goal, perhaps they were made fun of, or laughed at, or maybe they just didn't have the grades for it.
In primary school, everyone was special! If you got the answer wrong you still got a sticker by your name. Everyone got a certificate, even for something as simple as tying their shows. The playground wasn't a playground, but a castle. You weren't just a kid, you were a knight in shining armor. Then came grade four and grade five, where you had to work really hard to stay cool. You played pole tag and basketball if you were good enough. The teachers weren't as nice anmore. Instead of a sticker, your paper was handed back with red ink and "x's" throughout it. Things were the same in grade six and seven. Friends began to change, dreaming wasn't much of an option anymore.
By the time high school rolled around dreams were completely shattered. Your school counsellors attempted to hide their smiles while asking you, "why not be a lawyer?" Teachers not only used red ink, but the letter "F" which, of course, was associated with the mother of all swear words. Your parents would commonly tell you about "their day" and "the real world." It didn't matter about the real world though, you just wanted to be an astronaut.
Back in the kindergarten days, we could do anything if we put our minds to it. Travel back in time, to the future, kill dragons and rescue damsels in distress. The dream, the imagination, is a horrible thing to waste.
So it seems sometimes that it's not enough to believe in yourself. It's true that wishing, hoping and dreaming won't amount to anything, but a dream is a spark that can ignite a blaze if only it is nurtured.