What Gives You Hope as You Look to the Future

I have always tried to be an optimistic person, which in theory would mean that I would be able to find hope in any common situation. But, I think that situations that are heavier than a math test or a choir performance require more than just optimism; they require a grounded, perpetual hope, along with a desire for change and a motivated body to strive for that change. I see this kind of motivation, this desire for change, in my classmates every day. My seventy-two peers have a wide range of interests; some want to be lawyers fighting for trans rights, others want to be surgeons and doctors, and some like myself want to increase legislation for environmental protection and discover more respectful and appropriate ways to handle our resources. I know that we all worry that we will fall short, or that we will “fail” (whatever that may mean). But, watching, listening to, and growing alongside all of these people for the past four years has given me hope. As my AP English Language and Composition teacher echoed throughout the course, “People love to look towards the Child.” My generation of “children” struggles with an overwhelming sense of responsibility for the future. What gives me hope, though, is that I know we will help each other rise to the challenge.