Billions of people have multiple hopes and dreams. Many strive to reach their dream, make it a reality not a fantasy. When you achieve your dream, you feel satisfied. You might say “I did it.” Yet some dreams are so random, so odd, and just out of our reach, we brush them off and don’t strive towards them. 

AHS Students have dreams ranging from becoming a band teacher to making it to the NFL. These things can feel out of reach for a number of reasons, like being made fun of or feeling embarrassed. Teacher Allison Berryhill said she hesitates to tell people her wildest dreams because it can be embarrassing. “People may think I’m overestimating my skill set.” 

Junior Kelsey Pross said her wildest dream is to become a pediatric surgeon. Her desire to carry out this profession comes from her childhood and losing her best friend at a young age.

Junior Genevieve McCalla aspires in her wildest dreams to be a singer, actress, or model, but she believes “that’ll never happen.” McCalla said, “Every time I mention these things, everyone around me tells me the industry is so bad, and I start to believe it’s too hard for me and I’m not good enough.” There’s parts of each profession that seem unsustainable in these wild aspirations. The doubt can also cause us to put halts on our dreams. McCalla said, “It’s a real risk to make it work full time, and it’s scary. I feel like there could be more people equipt for it than me, and I wouldn’t want to take that from someone.”

Bottling up these dreams will do nothing to help you achieve them. While some will silently judge you, a select few might have the same dream as you, and help you achieve what you both deeply desire. As for myself, I’ve always thought of creating my own video game. I have a multitude of ideas most games have: protagonists, unique abilities, creative lore, a plot line, focus tightening bosses, skill testing mini-bosses, intense cutscenes, different endings, combo strings, comedic dialogue, character rivalry, and so much more. The question is, what is preventing me from achieving what I want most? Answers include: I don’t know where to begin. I don’t know how to code complex sequences. I don’t know what the title screen and loading screens would look like, or where it would take place. What about a cover, icon, trailer, voice actors, and animations? Not to mention display, inventory, ability skill trees, damage calculations, loot tables, legendary weapons, easter eggs, achievements, and many qualities of how lives change in video games. Listing what I don’t know can stall me out even before I get started.

Psychology Today has a six-step process showing ways to push yourself in making dreams a reality. Often, the hardest part is getting started. Finding ways to get out of your comfort zone and focus on what matters to you is really important in fulfilling the dreams we have. Take that first step, and soon enough your dreams will be right in front of you.