On the walls of my room hang countless maps, license plates and street signs from various regions of the world. Alongside them hang maps of fake cities that I have created, drawn on lined paper that I tore out of notebooks. Evidently, I’ve always been enraptured by cities. Millions of people pass through a city’s thoroughfares every day, carrying culture and energy from one street corner to the next. From a distance, they might look distant and cold, but they are truly dynamic, fluid and thriving entities.
Late at night, when some people unwind by watching TV or reading, I’m on Google Maps. I’m the master of Google Maps. I pan, zoom and scroll through 3D Globe View, transitioning from satellite view to street view and back. Each day, I spend at least an hour exploring different neighborhoods of cities around the world. Today, I explored Ottawa and Montreal. Yesterday, it was Johannesburg and Cape Town. Tomorrow? Who knows.
Whenever I go out, I plan my route and mentally take note of my parking options. Whenever I travel, I organize an itinerary by the location of the sights and destinations I want to see, and arrange my transportation in advance. Even when I drive to school each morning, I use my GPS in order to make sure I take the most optimized route and avoid any unexpected traffic jams. Just like I have my trips mapped out, starting in 9th grade, I had my high school trajectory mapped out. I was set on taking challenging classes, getting good grades and by senior year, becoming the Editor-in-Chief of The Chronicle. Except that didn’t happen. The day I didn’t get Editor-in-Chief, it was as if a roadblock had suddenly appeared in the middle of my route. I was forced to confront the fact that life wouldn’t always follow the route I had planned.
Yet, looking back, I can confidently say that not getting Editor-in-Chief was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. This year, I’ve been able to explore more than I ever have before. I dedicated a lot of time to the musical, where I was able to have a larger role for the first time due to my more flexible schedule on The Chronicle. I was able to start a fashion magazine with three of my close friends, and explore a freer and more creative design style. I was also finally able to join Jazz Singers, which I’d wanted to join since sophomore year but never had enough time to. Most importantly, I was still able to continue being deeply involved with The Chronicle and part of the community that I fell in love with in 10th grade.
This year taught me that often, the most meaningful experiences come from deviating from your set path. It’s like driving on I-405 to school, but then exiting on Mulholland Drive just for fun. I’ve learned to become a more spontaneous and easygoing person. I’m excited to see where this next turn takes me. This time, I’ll take the scenic route.
