Just Give It a Go
Life will always be full of different types of people: the popular kids, the wannabe popular kids, music lovers, gamers, artists, and people who are just truly themselves. No one is perfect, and no one has all the answers figured out because the world is full of mysteries, with many rocks still left unturned.
No one knows why you can walk into a room with complete determination and then suddenly forget why you’re there. Nobody knows why Australia still struggles to control its rabbit population, with millions roaming the country. No one knows why Earth’s magnetic poles flip every few hundred thousand years.
What I’m saying is that more than 80% of our planet remains unexplored. There is so much we don’t know, so why are we all standing still? Why is everyone blending in, looking like everyone else and acting like everyone else, with only different hairstyles or shoes to create some sense of individuality?
Everyone seems to be sitting at home watching the latest season of Off Campus and letting the world pass them by. I’m not saying everyone is a genius with the ability to solve climate change or cure coeliac disease.
But why not give it a go?
There’s no harm in trying.
Take the issue of space junk, for example. There are more than 100 million pieces of metallic debris, shattered satellites, and spent rocket boosters orbiting Earth. Since space is essentially international territory, no single country wants to spend the billions of dollars required to clean up what is effectively everyone’s mess.
No, not all of us are Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or even Taylor Swift. But even small actions can make a difference. They show that you’re paying attention to what’s happening in the world and that you’re willing to help improve the present for future generations.
So why are we all trying to look the same when we were born to be different?
There was supposed to be the geeky kid in primary school who had an incredible glow-up in high school and suddenly became everyone’s crush. There was supposed to be the popular girl who seems carefree but secretly wins science competitions.
We’re not supposed to have every guy wearing the same black jorts, T-shirt, and Air Forces while calling it individuality. We’re not supposed to have every girl wearing grey track pants, a tank top, straightened hair, and some version of Sambas or a bow in her hair and calling it unique.
We should want to wear different clothes, even if they’re a little unusual, if that’s what represents who we are. We shouldn’t feel like we have to hide the music we listen to, the clothes we love, or the fantasy books we enjoy because they’re not considered popular.
Be yourself, not some version of yourself that you think other people will like.
If you love space, rockets, and learning about orbital debris, then do something about it. Research it. Become an expert. Start an Instagram page. Share your discoveries. Meet people with similar interests. Go to events.
You don’t have to be popular, attractive, or wealthy to make a difference in this world.
Just give it a go.
No harm, no foul.
There are four things that make people act: fear, inspiration, motivation, and discipline.
Fear is writing an essay in one night when it’s due the next morning on a book you haven’t even read.
Inspiration is seeing something on Pinterest and suddenly feeling like you have to try it for yourself.
Motivation is being focused on a goal, like cleaning the gutters because your mum promised you could go and watch the new Spider-Man movie with your friends afterwards.
But the most important one is discipline.
Discipline is getting up for a run on the days when you feel energised and excited, but also getting up on the days when you’d rather do almost anything else. It’s doing what needs to be done regardless of how you feel.
So do it when you’re happy, sad, angry, frustrated, or annoyed that they’ve discontinued your favourite chocolate bar.
Just do it anyway.
Your biggest fear shouldn’t be whether your makeup looks perfect, whether your Spotify playlist is cool enough, or whether your band T-shirts might seem uncool when a friend comes over.
Your biggest fear should be lying on your deathbed and looking back at the person you could have been, the person you wanted to be, and realising you had every opportunity to become that person but never took the chance.
So make those inquiries. Ask those questions. Speak up for what you believe in.
And most of all, don’t ever, ever, EVER forget who YOU are.
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
by Amelia H, Year 10