Katelyn Aguinaga

An Aspirator for Freedom

I spent almost all of my high school career unsure of what I wanted to do after I
graduated. I had no concrete answers to adults who asked me what career I wanted to pursue. I
watched my peers around me get excited over their chosen paths with the rest of their lives
planned out. Because of that, I felt casted out and only more pressured to figure out what I
wanted. But taking my own time and pace to plan my life after high school turned out to be the
best thing for me.
Growing up, I had no real role models to look up to in terms of life planning and career
deciding. Both my parents work jobs they never wanted and found themselves stuck in to simply
make a living. And with their unstable marriage, it was proven to me rather quickly that it wasn’t
in my best interest to rely on them. So I turned to my older siblings who showed me that I didn’t
need to plan out my life so young. It took the both of them many years after high school to figure
out their plan and they turned out well. They showed me that it’s good to have a vision for the
future but that setting up a whole plan after high school wasn’t realistic. And they helped relieve
the stress and pressure I felt from my teachers and classmates to know exactly what I wanted.
Instead, I was able to take my own time to figure it out.
Through almost every class I took throughout my years as a high schooler, I learned that
there wasn’t any one thing that I excelled at or felt particularly passionate about. I got good
grades but that didn’t mean I was ​good​ at those subjects. It was a tough pill to swallow but
realizing I had no real academic talent was the reality check I needed. My maladaptive
daydreaming and strong sense of imagination seemed to be only things I had going for me. I felt
stuck in place throughout high school and at home and I knew that I wanted to change that after I
graduated. I aspired for freedom and the one way I did that was through my creative writing.
I started creative writing that wasn’t school related when I was in elementary school. I
would write in journals bought from stores and eventually on my computer. I never showed them
to anyone because I was only writing for myself- it was the one true passion I had. And I want to
use that passion to become a writer. I want my fun and modern articles published online for
people to read and learn about their favorite video game to TV show and I want to become a
published author. I find freedom in my imagination and in writing about what I want that
interests like-minded people and I aspire for that freedom. So I’m going to attend Wilbur Wright
College for two years so help start my education at lower costs and to give me the time I need to
finalize my plans.
One thing I was sure was that I didn’t want to grow up to be my parents who are stuck in
an unhappy job and in a boring life. They told me that I should work hard to earn the life that I
wanted to have. I know my goals aren’t easy or simple but the rewards of my goals are enough
incentive for me to work hard to meet them. So, for now, more than anything, I need time before
I can tell people a whole, concrete plan.