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The Escape of Writing

Struggling to be the ideal daughter my parents wanted me to be, I felt forced to participate in extracurricular activities. I wanted to avoid my parents’ constant nagging and needed to impress them at the same time. As I searched for random activities in which I might succeed, I involved myself in everything from music to sports to painting classes.

Though I enjoyed them all, I soon became discouraged by my lack of natural talent. Not wanting to be labeled as a “failure,” I continued to join even more activities. The calendar on my wall soon became overloaded with piano lessons, martial arts classes and volunteer opportunities. I wanted so badly to excel in so many categories that it all backfired.

Each lesson and activity took away from the others, until I eventually ended up doing a “half-assed job” at everything. I was always just too busy to put forth any real effort into my work.

My busy lifestyle defeated the whole purpose of why I started to fill up my schedule in the first place. My parents became extremely disappointed in me because my grades began to suffer. I didn’t have any time for schoolwork and studying. My connection with my friends began to tear apart too, since I had no time to continue any type of meaningful relationship with them. I took on all these different projects in order to become a better person, but I became much worse off instead.

It took me about a year to realize that this was definitely not how I wanted to live my life. Each day seemed to never end. Yet there also seemed never to be enough time to accomplish all my goals. I could tell that I wasn’t enjoying my time because the only part of the day I would really look forward to was the end of the day. When I came home at last from my endless projects and activities, I would sink into my fluffy down comforter, take out my tattered journal that I had kept since I was in the third grade and begin to release my stress and let out my aggravation.

Writing was something that had interested me for a very long time. Although I was never too good at expressing myself through words, writing down my thoughts somehow gave me confidence. I could let out my innermost thoughts without actually having to make anyone endure hours of my constant rambling.

Then, about half a year ago, I was given the opportunity to be a youth columnist for AsianWeek. I quickly grabbed at the chance to do something that I actually enjoyed. Writing for AsianWeek has provided me with the opportunity to express my opinions, and it has served as a positive outlet for my most private feelings.

As I continued to write, I gradually began to pull my life together. Countless times, I have stayed up until sunrise to finish writing my article, not because I was forced to, but because it made me happy and gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Through the years, I’ve come to realize that there will always be high and low points in my life. Fortunately, I have finally found something of my own to help me get through many of the low points in life. Writing has also inspired me. Although my writing may not be the finest, I do put my heart in it and give it my all.

Ever since I started to write for AsianWeek, I have put forth that same effort into everything that I do, and now my days are starting to look brighter. Instead of always waiting for the day to come to an end, I now try to do everything with a positive outlook.

I’ve learned that even if you feel as if there is nothing out there for you, you have to continue to persevere. Opportunities don’t just sit on your doorstep waiting for you, and I am so happy that AsianWeek was there for me.