Study Hall was loud with excitement. Annoyed, I turned to see what the commotion was about. I read the paper that titled “Student Body Candidates”. Oh, it’s that time of the year again. A sudden urge sparked my interest in joining the candidates. Why not? I might as well make a good memory before my senior year comes around. I signed the paper that read “Vice President” and returned to my seat. At that moment, a sea of shocked faces caught my eye. I felt a bit embarrassed, but genuinely proud of myself. When the speech date was announced, I started to write a cliche speech. However, as I was writing, it suddenly hit me. I realized a change in my mindset. There lie competiveness and passion within me that I never knew existed. I started questioning myself if I was really making the right decision. I doubted myself if I can really be the quintessential figure that the school needs. I knew that I was about to face challenging opponents. I knew I was at a disadvantage because I wasn’t very well-known at my school. However, I knew that I had the passion. My victorious position depended on my speech that I was about to give. I rewrote my speech and turned it in. On the day of the election, I swallowed my nervousness and started my speech. Before I knew it, I finished my speech and the crowd was roaring with claps and screams. The moment the election results were announced, without a second thought, I started to grin and sighed a sigh of relief and satisfaction. This was my first leap.

For high school students, a leap of faith outside of one’s comfort zone is often overlooked, as we are too caught up in the intricate details of balancing academics with extracurricular activities, among countless other responsibilities. According to the Huffington Post, teenagers should view high school as “a time to thrive, a pause to add to their concepts of their selves, to sit back and enjoy life. High school ought to be focused on classes one is interested in, in friends one can relate to, in experiences one will remember even past four years better spent exploring than staying in a single place.”