English Essays

Personal Essay: Idealism and Passions of Youth

Write a personal essay on the idealism and passions of youth.

In a world that seems to juxtapose common sense, with Brexit, Donald Trump as the American president, and wars still raging on in the Middle East after decades, I find it easy to become overwhelmed and lost in it all. Even in the midst of our bleak society, there are always passions to pull you out of the storm. Every generation has youth, and every youth is passionate, even idealistic, except today, we are louder and less afraid to voice our opinions than ever. The ability to shape your own future is an idealism that can be afforded, and one that not everyone notices.

Idealism in youth is found in the youngest of ages. I was sat in my neighbour's cramped, stuffy living room, babysitting her two children, both no older than ten. It was unlike any other time I had looked after them. They were completely disinterested in me, they did not want to play, watch television, or read a book. I remember deciding to leave them to themselves, but my curiosity grew as if it were stuck in a pressure cooker. I could see the girl and her brother on the carpet, sharing earphones, an iPod in between them as they seemingly coloured in some drawings. The two of them were bopping their heads along to the music with the enthusiasm only a child could muster. I smiled at the sight and kneeled down beside them. I asked them what they were doing, and I was surprised by their answer. They were doing homework, the assignment being, 'What I want to be when I grow up,' I stole glances at their drawings. The girl dreamed of being a pianist; at least I think so from the spelling, whereas the boy wished to be an astronaut. Although my initial instinct was to laugh at the siblings, I knew that this was the idealism of innocent children. Despite both career choices being uncommon, it was a moment where I thought, it could be possible since those jobs do exist.

The idealism of children is one thing, but to have the passion that drives it is another. One instant when I felt that it was my duty to make a difference to our society was in 2012, when the news was bombarded with headlines including only one name, Malala Yousafzai. I was in awe of her story, and found her determination and passion for the education of women incredibly inspiring. The attack was chilling; the only thing this 14 year old girl wanted was an education, something a lot of us take for granted, but she refused to hide her dreams. She nearly paid for those simple hopes with her life because she lived in a part of Pakistan where the Taliban were seeking control. Her bravery, courage, and passion are outstanding, and this is why I consider her to be such an amazing role model. Since then, I have become more serious about my education, have actively researched politics and the right to education, and even gave essays on it to my history and English teachers at the time. It should not be idealistic to want an education, it should be a given.

However, passion can come in any shape or form. I recall hearing an elderly woman once remark that the youth of today have no passion for anything because everything is just handed to us. I have never disagreed with a statement more. Everyone has a passion for something; be it art, gaming, or reading. For me, it's sports. I attended an extremely sport orientated school at one point. Its official name included the fact that it was a sports college, but while some hated it, I absolutely embraced and loved it. We had the opportunity and the facilities to try a multitude of sports, and I find it difficult to name one that I didn't enjoy. Of course, I wasn't a natural at many sports; however, I particularly enjoyed fast-paced sports, such as basketball, hockey, and tennis. I began to take extra tennis classes, and still do.

Tennis has been my passion for over five years and I always remember looking forward to the weekends, when I would practice and participate in tournaments. I would put on the same pleated white skirts which were so long when my parents bought them, that they went past my knees, and I would double knot my laces so that they wouldn't come undone. In hindsight, running across one side of a court for over an hour trying to hit a ball over the net may seem idiotic, but somehow, I loved it. During the matches, the person on the other side of the net became your enemy, but as soon as the match ended you were best friends again. That was my passion. As I grew older, of course, my idealism faded, and I no longer played competitively, as I wanted to focus on my studies. The main reason why I still play at all is because of the way it helps to alleviate stress, and the way it keeps me connected to my childhood passion.

Tennis is like a time machine to me, with every match I take a trip back in time to experience the happiness that I did as a child again. Sport is not every child's passion, I know people who groan at the mere mention of it, but one passion almost every youth has is music. Every year, millions of people from all over the world attend music festivals and concerts, no matter the expenses. I sat beside the same girl in chemistry class for the entirety of last year without ever saying more than a hello. The first time we had a full conversation was this year, when I noticed her rubber bracelet, with the name of a band I loved written on it. I commented on how I was a huge fan of their music, and we spent the next fifty minutes of class discussing them and their best songs. By the end of the lesson, the teacher had separated us due to constant chatting, and she is now one of my best friends.

The elderly lady might not have seen the passion that the youth of today has, but I have definitely witnessed and lived it. Our passions can bring us together; can help us understand each other, and can make us healthier both physically and mentally. The drive and ambition that youth has to improve our world and to achieve the extraordinary, can be viewed as naïve idealism, but I can vouch that it is not. I hope this idealism stays strong in future generations, and that these passions can be maintained for a long time.