The passion

This could be my last column for the semester--maybe even forever. Whether I will continue writing for The Chronicle is yet to be seen.

Realizing these could be my last words, even if just for the semester, I struggled with what to write about. I considered going on a tirade about how rude people are. Like the intoxicated freshman who attempted to cut in at the beginning of the walk-up line for the game Saturday. When my roommate politely asked him to return to his group, he responded with a vulgar and inappropriate statement (which cannot be repeated here). This isn't high school anymore. Get some class and learn some manners.

I almost wrote about how students either don't pay attention or consider other people insignificant. For instance, every time I attend CRU meetings, the same people introduce themselves to me. Number one, the organization is not that big. Number two, I understand if it's a mistake once, but when it's a weekly occurrence, there's a problem. Number three, I can understand if you forget my name, but how can you forget my face? There's no one else with it.

I almost chose to write about that inconsiderate boy who thinks only of himself. About that girl who reprimanded me when I made a mistake at Wind Symphony rehearsal. I could have discussed the thin line between selfishness and looking out for oneself, or about how generosity and altruism might not truly exist. About how you're hypocritical, I'm hypocritical and how we're all snobs about something. I wanted to tell you how I understand that the human race isn't perfect, but it's astounding as to how rude, how stupid, how insufferable people can be.

Please, don't fall into this trap. If you hold yourself back, you won't discover all that life has to offer. Without any emotion, you won't experience the power of genuine friendship, the drive for knowledge or just the enjoyment of being alive.

The key to life is passion. If you don't have that, what's the point? You would only be half-living. There's nothing wrong with immersing yourself into something, with being emotionally involved. Some people accuse me of being too emotional, of being oversensitive; but at least I care at all, right? Find something--anything--that you're passionate about and follow through with it. It can be school, people, your faith, a hobby, a place. Whatever, as long as you feel strongly about it.

But it's not enough to pick something out and say, "Hey, I'm passionate about this." I once heard a speech given where the speaker compared passion to setting yourself on fire. Not only do others see it, but you can feel it, as well. Look around you. There's BA and her pride in Minnesota, CW and her loyalty to Duke basketball, LCH and her love for her family. LAH is always practicing her many instruments; JB can be frequently seen constructing something in his room; KF spends a majority of the week helping out her church. And HV? He's wanted to make that spaghetti sauce for over a month now.

So find your passion, and light yourself on fire. Maybe your passion is to light yourself on fire. Either way, find it. Find it, hold on to it and live for it.

Jina Jang is a Trinity sophomore.