In a time when our lives are packed full of responsibilities such as finishing the last of this year’s assignments, taking AP tests and making sure we finish the year strong, it is easy to want to shut down and not complete any of the tasks that remain. Life can get overwhelming when all of these tasks pile up, yet taking those needed breaks and indulging in one’s passion is also important.

For me, golf is my passion. If I would have been asked five years ago what my passion was, I would have pondered that question for a while until I came up with some answer to a seemingly simple question. Would my passion be volleyball only because that is what I spent the most of my time doing even though I was not sure how much longer I would want to play? It is easy to get caught up in the rush of life and base one’s passions on what activities take up the most time even if it does not bring the most happiness.

The summer going into my sophomore year is when I discovered golf for the second time. I remember going out as a little kid and hitting the ball around while my dad was trying to shoot a new low score, never really giving golf a fair shot because it was “too slow”. But now, I cannot imagine life without it. Not only have I formed some of the strongest bonds through golfing but I have also learned many life lessons along the way. I have learned mental toughness as playing 18 holes can get really long when the putts are not rolling the way you want them to and I have learned to be patient as golf really is not a fast sport. 

To me, finding and participating in one’s passion is not always the activity you have done the longest or the activity that takes up the most time, but it is also the activity that makes you want to strive for more and the activity that brings you the most happiness even on the hardest days.