Sta Editorial: Students should pursue passions over padding resumes

As a result, it is imperative that students distinguish their passions and pursue what they are genuinely interested in, since cultivating passion provides far more benefits than fabricating interests, according to a new report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

College competitiveness has increased in recent years. The University of California, Irvine’s acceptance rate has dropped more than 15 percent in the last eight years, according to the UCI admissions website. With UCI being one of the most applied colleges among Portola High students, according to Naviance, the desire to take on extracurriculars simply for the sake of getting into college has grown tremendously, according to PBS.

When students dedicate themselves to activities for the sake of creating impressive college applications, their lives are more likely to be consumed by schoolwork and other academic responsibilities, which in turn leads to a higher risk of depression and mental burnout, according to the LA Times.

“When junior year came around, I started taking far more rigorous courses and really just tried to do well in all of them and started taking on far more projects than I could handle,” senior Michael Yi said. “The reward at the end wasn’t worth all the stress and all the toll it took on my mental health.”

To start cultivating their passions, students should first evaluate their current lifestyles and norms. Ask: “Do I take on an excessive amount of activities simply for the sake of college?”

If the answer is a yes, proceed to identify what you are interested in. This process can include asking questions like: What do I do in my free time? What is an activity I enjoyed doing recently that made me lose track of time? What are some social causes I deeply care about? What have I done to relieve this stress?

These questions aim to identify students’ genuine interests, which they can hopefully pursue in the form of extracurricular activities.

For example, a student who enjoys playing basketball for leisure may find satisfaction in working with youth at a basketball training camp. Not only are they dedicating time to an activity they enjoy, but they are also likely to feel rewarded for meeting new people and supporting their community.

The advantage of following this mindset is that in the process of pursuing your passions, these activities can translate into a more authentic college resume. Furthermore, students will be able to find a school that best fits their needs and aspirations by submitting an honest curated portfolio.

“The applications that stand out to me are students who share their essays and make me feel excited about what they’re excited about,” counselor and UC admissions reader Ryan Itchon said. “That’s as clear as day when I read their profiles or read their essays. Everything aligns with their activities and awards and what they love to do.”

Some may argue that external factors, such as desire for prestige or parental pressure, may prohibit students from selecting the extracurricular activities or paths they want to pursue. Eighty-six percent of high school students self-reported that they feel parental and societal pressure to pursue a four-year degree, according to Inside Higher Ed.

However, there is support available for all students who choose to pursue their passions. During the 2016–17 school year, 98 percent of public high school districts in America offered Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs to students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. These easily accessible programs provide students with various ways to submerge themselves and gain experience in their desired careers and interests.

Exploring your own passion is an integral component to the development of not only professional success but also personal well-being and satisfaction.

Students may find that chasing superficiality often dilutes their personal life with unrealistic expectations, while taking a genuine approach with college applications leads to ambition and success.

Skyller Liu

Elise Ngo

Business Team

Cara Chan

Arnav Chandan

Madeline Chung

Photo Editors

Maitri Allani

Mia Jong

Gwyneth Yung

Parmin Zamani

Staff Writers

Claire Chan

Hannah Ko

Jana Malek

Aditi Salunkhe

Ruhi Samudra

Michael Sun

Maya Tedini

Sonia Wang

Adviser

Brianna Rapp portolapilot@gmail.com @portolapilot on Instagram (949) 936-8326 1001 Cadence, Irvine, CA 92618

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