Everyone has something they’re passionate about, and in college, it’s prevalent more than ever. Many people’s passions align with what they are going into, pre-vet majors should care about animals and agronomy majors should care about plants. I’ve always found it intriguing to talk to others who have passions that are vastly varied.

For example, my major is agricultural education, and I’ve had the privilege to teach students about pollinators, soil health, animals, and food production. I’ve had the chance to witness first-hand students with no connections to agriculture find something in the ag industry that they might be passionate about. However, as much as I love educating students and I love the ag industry, this isn’t my only passion.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved stories and the mechanics behind a good story; plot, character development, the whole nine-yards. I love creative writing, and I’ve been stoking and tending that passion for years now. This passion of mine has led me to finish two complete manuscripts, both over ninety-thousand words in length, and start the long journey towards publication. This passion has absolutely nothing to do with my future career of being an ag teacher, and in fact, there is practically zero overlap. For those of you that are curious, no, the manuscripts are not about anything ag related. There are no cows, no tractors, nothing remotely close to my passion of agriculture.

But that’s alright! Human beings aren’t made to only enjoy one thing, and if we were, the world would be incredibly boring.

If my second year of college has taught me anything, it’s this: always try to spend a little time doing what makes you happy. If that’s something related to your future career, that’s phenomenal! Gaining experience is always a great thing. If it isn’t, that’s still alright!

College kids like myself tend to get so focused on getting through school that sometimes we forget about doing what makes ourselves happy. That could be making art, baking, or literally anything else that makes you enjoy life. It’s important to take time for yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself possible. That’s what I’ve tried to do by feeding my passion of writing, even though people think I’m crazy for pushing myself to write over a thousand words a day. It’s what I love, and it’s what makes me happy.

There’s another thing that I’ve learned about passions, and it’s this: people love to talk about what they love. Trust me, by talking to someone about what they’re passionate about instead of just small talk you will get to know them on a more personal level and perhaps find something in common, which might just lead to a new connection or friendship.