August 19

The first step to being motivated is allocating brain space so your topic is constantly thought about throughout your day. If writing, as I predict it to be, is anything like painting or choreographing a dance, it can often be hard to think of ideas that interest me and appeal to my audience, meaning starting will be my biggest motivation challenge. Much like a blank canvas, a blank page is hard to look at. Another difficulty I will have to face this year with motivation is being able to keep up when given criticism. As I mentioned, art is about both the artist and the audience. I know how much other people's validation and opinions can block me, even if their comments are constructive. It will be a slight hurdle not to lose my momentum in those moments. 

Since art is such a prominent part of my life, it isn't surprising when I say my favorite memory from school last year was doing an Indian dance for the cultural fair. Despite learning from a young age, I've always had an on-and-off relationship with dance and my confidence levels. With how people received our dance last year and because of who I did it with, the month of constant practice and laughter at my house became something I got accustomed to. Even though we weren't a group of the best dancers, I had so much fun with the entire process, and it is something that made me step out of my comfort zone, making it one of my most treasured memories. 

However, there are many ways I still have to push myself. I intend to do this in EMC through increasing my collaboration with others. I'm not bad at working with people, but I have noticed that it doesn't come to me as an instinct. Curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and communication come to me automatically (in a sense), yet I only work with others and collaborate when I must. I've noticed it isn't something I generally drift to. Since my entire topic on perspective connects back to society and people needing to look at things from a different lens, I want to include people in the community this year. It will help me delve deeper into other people's perspectives on the world. Collaboration will be especially vital this year since a piece of writing depends on, again, the audience. I will have to collaborate with a larger group of people for inspiration and feedback. Along with making that change, I cannot wait to start a dance club at school, which a few friends and I have been thinking about, choreographing for, and working on all summer. Although a dance club won't be simple to run, I am excited to see how it plays out.

Junior year is said to be one of the most difficult, and I am hopeful to see where all of this year's hard work will lead me.