Is it worth it to do everything? Throughout my four years at Algonquin, I have been in countless performances, extracurricular activities and taken honors and AP classes. To be honest, I have no idea how I’ve balanced everything I’ve done for the past couple of years. There have been countless nights I would spend hours after school at rehearsals, eat dinner, go to the gym or practice, get home at 11 p.m. and finally start my homework; I would often stay up until one or two in the morning just to get my work done. Needless to say, this took up 99% of my time and was exhausting, but was it all worth it? 

I suppose to answer this question, I have to look at what I’ve gained from trying everything I possibly can: friends, life skills, patience and a good work ethic. When I look at myself, and who I am, I realized that all of these activities and packed schedules have shaped me into the person I am today. In addition to this, I have never regretted being involved in any of the sports, shows or classes because they taught me valuable lessons and connected me with many of the friends that I now share a bond with. 

In fact, my only regret in high school is not doing more because when I think about our time in high school, I see a period of time where we have the most freedom to explore every possible avenue of life. If I had never auditioned for a show at Algonquin, I would have never discovered my love for theater and performing. Maybe some of the things I tried never worked out, like volleyball or cross country, but at least I can say that I tried them. I gave them a real shot and I was able to meet some fantastic people through them while learning skills that will serve me for the rest of my life. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you spend your life not stepping outside of your comfort zone and never push yourself to try new things, you’re missing out on a lot—you could possibly discover your passion in life, a future career or meet new people. So yes, I would say trying everything you possibly can is worth it