Dumbledore advises Harry Potter, “It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” Of the many lessons I’ve learned through my journey with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, I cherish this as the most important one.

Imagination and dreams have always had my back. I can find stories where there are none. But for some time, those stories were all I dwelled on. I lacked a vision of where those dreams and stories could take me. At the dinner table, I never really relished the question, “Arushi, what do you want to be when you grow up?” No answer ever crossed my mind. But eighteen months ago at a highly competitive summer college program, a vision for my future began to crystallize.

Working with my highly motivated peers on intense projects, connecting with innovative and unique undergraduate students, and enjoying a glimpse of the fruitful world of a college student revealed to me the rewards of a focused future.

As I advanced to 11th grade the following month, I ceased to view school as a static day-to-day activity. Exposure to the incredible diversity of interests among the students at the program helped me find my own true calling and hone my own interest – marketing. I realized that advertising a product was all about telling its story, a concept the storyteller in me was all too familiar with.

I joined my school’s marketing organization (DECA), refining my skills by competing at the district, state, and international levels. I especially enjoyed competing in cases about movies, envisioning each movie’s development process to organize advertising strategies mirroring its theme. My newfound love for marketing fueled me to campaign for an officer position within our DECA chapter, securing the position of Vice President for two consecutive years. Marketing became my vehicle for storytelling, and I decided the most exciting future would incorporate both my passions.

As I sit down at the dinner table today, I eagerly anticipate the question, “Arushi, what do you want to be when you grow up?” Just as Harry Potter’s friendships and skills helped him on his journey to overcome a foe, my journey of new experiences and skills is valuable. I call upon my favorite acquaintances – Imagination and Dreams, and my new friend Focus – as I answer, “I am going to be a Consulting Producer at a movie studio.”

“It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” I haven’t yielded dwelling on dreams. My imagination and dreams inspire my inner storyteller to write. But I have not forgotten to live. I channel my imagination and dreams while focusing on a career goal, a career where dreaming and marketing skills will make life the perfect dream itself.