I recently stumbled across a short writing piece I wrote at the age of 17. Thought I would share it here:
It was finally my turn to make people tick. I glanced through my eyelids eagerly waiting for people’s perspectives to shift. Looking at the crowd, I counted 30 students, 7 teachers, and some outsiders. “Full attendance!”, I thought to myself, everybody needed to see this. Eagerly, I then proceeded to explain my diabetes model project at a science fair held at my school as an 11-year-old. By now you might be wondering what is “the tick”? Well, the tick is basically the change in people’s expressions as a result of them finally understanding/realizing something they didn’t before (just like two magnets snapping together in place). Slowly, one by one I saw people’s expressions light up as they filled their own personal gaps of knowledge when it came to their day-to-day actions related to diabetes. That day I realized that ticks are a wonderful indication of effective communication and decided to capitalize on this fact.
I remember realizing the epidemic of severe unawareness in today’s world from a very young age. Seeking to combat this problem head-on, I knew I had to play my part. Hence, I started debating, going to Model UNs, public speaking, and making videos to explain complex science concepts. The response intrigued and inspired me enough to keep at it. In many moments amidst these activities, I felt like I had a voice worth listening to. Never before had I felt powerful enough to move people from my doing. On the day of my science fair presentation, I not only found the tick, but I also found myself. I fell in love with the tick as an 11-year-old. It is the same conviction that presents scientists’ concerns, voices activists, and perpetuates change-makers: the willingness to shift paradigms and lead people towards changed behavior for the better.
This every ethos takes me to spotlights, pushing me to act outwardly on what I see inwardly. Due to this, I landed an opportunity to give a speech at the first TEDx talk organized by Fredericton High School. There, I addressed the mostly teen audience about why meditation is so important for teenagers of this era especially due to the increasing anxiety levels. Under the gaze of hundreds, I felt right at home, promoting changed behavior for the better.
There.
A hundred more ticks.
My voice is not limited to spoken words, however. With my brush and a canvas, I voyage through the depths of my mind and express it through my paintings. My intentions are not to wow the audience through my abilities, only to show them a different perspective by creating rejuvenated neural connections/pathways. A true sense of euphoria lies in the process while I look at the signs of my ideas swaying the ones of the consumers.
Teaching, too, is another way of generating ticks. After I arrived here, I joined the Air Cadets. The program requires us to teach junior cadets. Appointed as the new aviation instructor, I wanted to make sure I did justice maintaining the fascination of aviation amongst the many malleable 12-year-olds. To accomplish this, I used examples, practical demonstrations, and stories. As a result, it has given me an immense sense of satisfaction when I enter the classroom and the kids yell “OUR FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR!!”. I was the only girl to be selected for Advanced Aviation Camp (only female to receive an award), the only girl to apply for pilot scholarships (received the highest mark), and the only girl to be selected for the 3- hour military helicopter ride, and finally now the only female aviation instructor for level 2 cadets.
I take on education with the same spirit. For me, all learning creates ticks inside of me and gives me more ways to make others tick may it be through videos, art, science, leadership, or the power of words.
All in all, the experience of the science fair has long been over, but the tick has stayed with me throughout the years evolving from a simple memory to a lifelong mission. It guides me through academics, leads my actions, and gives me a sense of purpose. My methods might have expanded but my goals remain the same. Presenting meaningful realities of this world; be it with demonstrations or examples, I strive to share. Be it understanding, realizing, or changing behavior for the better, I aim to impact. Every day I look for those gaps waiting to be filled, those magnets to be snapped right in place. And when I find them, I make people tick.
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