Life is a funny thing. It often slips through our fingers as we search for its true meaning; it dances just out of our control as we soldier on— attempting to reach a sort of legendary status with the short amount of time we’re allotted. As time slowly ticks away, every single one of us eventually arrives at a choice: to live life with a purpose, or simply run along with the rat race. Every single one of us has a different “third thing”—a concept or goal worth striving for an entire lifetime. All that matters, however, is how each of us chooses to fulfill that goal.

For a long time, I had a difficult time understanding the relationship between dreaming and living. To me, they seemed to be two completely different things: the soft and hopeful quality of dreams existed only in my mind, crushed out of reality by the stark austerity of living. As time passed, however, I came to appreciate qualities about living that complemented the world of dreaming. In my dreams, I could imagine fantastic goals that I could strive for in the reality of living. I eventually realized that my “third thing,” the thing that I live and dream for, was discovery— to discover the true joys of life, whether it was in simple things—like running barefoot in grass or singing loudly with friends—or something a bit more complex, like completing a science project about the effects of Salmonella bacteria on cancer. I loved the idea of learning something I didn’t know before, because it provided me with experiences—experiences that would become a part of my dreams and my identity.

To me, true discovery is recognition. Not just simply learning about a new idea, but realizing the true profundity behind the familiar. It’s not just about discovering revolutionary knowledge and research—although that in itself is very important—but about understanding the real significance in everyday things: the simple but beautiful symmetry of a flower, or the emotion behind a friend’s smile. For me, discovering the beauty and emotion behind the seemingly ordinary details of life is what makes living so interesting— because after all, who wouldn’t want to see life as more beautiful?
Forgive me as I induce a tired cliché, but I am about to close one chapter of my life to begin another. I want opportunities to achieve my goals in life, an education for my future career, and of course, an unforgettable college experience.

But most of all, I want to keep on discovering.