As deadlines creep up on me, I find myself staring at a blank Google doc in front of my computer. Finding the words to assemble my first sentence is suffocating.
The state of having an empty head brings me to despair, dread and disappointment. Words do not flow out of my brain. The whole process of telling a story provides me with a challenging and overwhelming environment–it cages me. Writing is not my expertise where I can freely express myself. Instead, it blocks my creativity and makes me feel like I am stuck in place, dormant with no motion.
Students are encouraged to extend their skills and try new things, especially in high school. We are often told to “step out of your comfort zone” or “diversify your content.” I disagree to some extent. I think exposure to many activities can limit the time available to strengthen each skill, which may prevent students from developing a specific extraordinary talent, leaving us with a more mediocre skill set.
Rather than spreading yourself thin, strengthening and sharpening your strongest suit might be your better option. You do not necessarily need to quit putting effort into everything else as it is always useful to have more than one skill under your belt and explore from time to time, but spend more time expanding on your gifts or things you enjoy doing.
Although I do not generally favor writing, I will complete my essays for AP English on time with the highest quality possible and I will face any task thrown at me, including writing this column, with determination. However, being in my box allows me to create meaningful progress and realistic, reachable goals that help boost my self-esteem, achieve less burnout from stress and more productivity since writing is time-consuming with my mental roadblocks.
I prefer to engage in visual media elements for The Sidekick, especially sports photography. If you go through my portfolio, I am equipped with sports photography assignments and experiences around the camera where I find satisfaction. It ranges from portraits to school events to lots and lots of sports.
Unlike writing, photography feels levitating and rewarding. It is another way of telling a story but through photos rather than using words. You can see the actions and emotions physically instead of mentally feeling them.
I enjoy the art and feel of photography. The process of setting the camera’s settings. The privilege of standing on the field of the sports games. The satisfaction when you get the winning shot. The accomplishment of editing and uploading the photos. The awe-inspiring and mind-blowing work from other photographers.
Visual media elements also play an important factor in trying to get the reader’s attention to click on a story since it is one of the first things they would look at. It is crucial to find a different angle to stand out and find the best setting or balance between the shutter speed, ISO and aperture for the situation, capturing the key moment without blurriness.
As I continue to expand and expose myself to photography and face obstacles, I feel challenged yet inspired to gain more knowledge and take outstanding, clear photos. I strive to become a better photographer for The Sidekick, where I can become an exemplary figure.
I want others to find what they enjoy in life, to focus on improving without straining themselves or being pressured to spend time outside their comfort zone.
After all, what is life without a little comfort?
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Katie Park • Jan 29, 2025 at 2:28 pm
yay! great first opinions storyy
Hiral Patel • Jan 28, 2025 at 8:58 pm
This is so good Eirene!