It began with uncertainty. The sort that lurks in the shadows as you trudge along. Go to class. Turn in assignments. Prepare for tests. Smile when someone asks what you’re going to do with your life. The reality was, I had no idea. I had picked a major I enjoyed well enough, but I held out for that spark everyone describes. The one that informs you what you are supposed to do. 

For some time, it seemed as though everyone else knew their path. Some were studying for competitive exams, some had their family businesses to run, and some just appeared so confident. I was wandering. Until the day that college became more than just a destination to obtain a degree and turned into a destination for something more. A destination to find out. 

That is when it all began to shift. 

So just how did college assist me in uncovering my passion? 

1. Exposure to more than textbooks 

At school, the road was narrow. In college, it broadened. 

• I was able to go to workshops, speeches and events completely unrelated to my subject 

• I joined clubs not because I was good at it, but because I was interested 

• I attempted things I had never even thought about before 

Sometimes you just find something by mistake and then you wonder how you ever managed without it. That’s what it did for me. 

2. Freedom to experiment without stress 

College allowed me room. 

• No one asked me to be perfect at anything 

• I could attempt something, fail at it and still be fine 

• I had time between classes to think, to read, to simply be 

This freedom was important. Because in that silence, I began to realize what it was about me that made me come alive. What I could do for hours without checking the clock. What I spoke of with passion even when nobody asked. 

3. Mentors who mentored rather than directed 

There were some teachers and seniors who helped. 

• They framed questions which got me thinking 

• They recommended books, courses and concepts that broadened my mind 

• They did not provide me with answers. They assisted me in discovering my own 

When you have someone who believes in your abilities, you start believing in them too 

4. Moments to create, lead and fail 

College is the ideal playground 

• I participated in college fests, led teams, and experimented with organizing events 

• Some worked, some didn’t, but I learned from all the attempts 

• Slowly, I noticed a trend. I was always attracted to certain types of projects and roles 

That trend was the key to my passion. 

5. Time to figure me out 

Between all the deadlines and the group projects, I had moments of silence. 

• Walks across campus 

• Long chats with friends 

• Late-night journaling sessions 

And slowly, the fog lifted. A path emerged. Not an end result, but a start. 

So, how did college lead me to find my passion? 

It allowed me to explore, the confidence to experiment, the nurturing to develop and the room to hear myself. And in doing so, I discovered not only what I wanted to do, but who I was to be. 

Occasionally, the degree you graduate with is merely part of the equation. The greatest reward is finding the passion you graduate with.