《The World Within》 The Dreamers Dilemma Edwin High School of Excellence is one of the most famous schools in the Segwid district of Maryland Province. It may not rank first in the district, but it has enough prestige to make people proud to be students here. Its founder, Sir Edwin Jenner, was one of the most influential people in the district, contributing significantly to its development. He established many colleges and hospitals for the people. Our school is one of his establishments. A statue of him stands in front of the main building, with the words "Those who don¡¯t dare, can¡¯t make a change" inscribed below it. This has been a guiding inspiration for many students who have contributed to the district¡¯s development. This is a brief introduction to my school, and here I am, Arthur, a tenth-grade student. ¡°What are you thinking about? Daydreaming again, huh?¡± A rough voice interrupted my thoughts. It was none other than my deskmate, Ejeah. ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t tell. Open your book; the teacher is coming.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Soon after, our afternoon class started, and we went back to our studies. After finishing our classes, we headed toward home. Michael and James were waiting for us in front of the school gate. ¡°So, have you decided what you want to become, James?¡± asked Michael. ¡°Hell no¡­ Max. What about you?¡± ¡°I think I will pursue medicine.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ Do you really think you¡¯re that smart, Max?¡± ¡°If I were that smart, I¡¯d top our grade,¡± he answered mockingly. ¡°My parents want me to pursue medicine, even though I don¡¯t know anything about it.¡± ¡°Are you forgetting about the counseling session tomorrow? We¡¯ll get a better idea of what to do with our lives there,¡± said Ejeah, interrupting their conversation. ¡°What are you going to say, Ejeah?¡± James teased him. ¡°Not gonna tell you that. Have you decided on anything, Art?¡± Ejeah asked me. ¡°I think I want to be an author. I love to write,¡± I replied. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.¡°Good for all of you. I haven¡¯t even decided what I want to be,¡± James said in a disappointed voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, James,¡± Max consoled him. ¡°You¡¯ll surely become a good author in the future,¡± he said to me. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Okay then, here¡¯s where we part ways. Bye, guys,¡± said Ejeah. ¡°Yeah, bye,¡± we all said. At that three-way pass, we went to our respective homes. Max and James live beside each other, which explains why they¡¯re close. They¡¯ve been friends since childhood and even went to the same primary school. Their parents are also close because of them. For me, none of my classmates live nearby. I reached home and opened the door. My parents were out for work and would come home in the evening. I got ready and had my lunch. Afterward, I went back to my studies. My room is decorated with many pictures. I like to discover what an artist is trying to express through their art. I often write about what I think of each piece. The best one is pasted on the wall in front of my desk. I love that painting because it resonates with me. The artwork shows a boy sitting on top of a hill, gazing at a night sky full of stars. He¡¯s pointing at a star and dreams of becoming one¡ªshining brightly in the dark night. I heard the door open. It was time for my parents to return home. My mom called out to check if I was home. I answered, letting her know that I was back. She went to prepare dinner. I went downstairs and sat beside Dad to watch TV. He was watching the news, covering all the major events of the day. Gently, he placed the remote on the table and asked me, ¡°So, have you decided what you want to become in the future?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to pursue liberal arts and become an author,¡± I answered. To my surprise, his expression turned a bit upset. ¡°Are you sure you want to become an author, son?¡± ¡°Ye¡­ yes¡­¡± I replied, stammering. ¡°I like writing and want to choose it as my career.¡± ¡°Look, son, I know you like writing, but you can¡¯t choose this as your career. You know many people in the world can write much better than you. Also, you¡¯ll have to work hard to make it in that field. You¡¯re smart and good at studies, so why not choose a better goal? Think it over carefully and make a wise decision,¡± Dad said. I couldn¡¯t reply. I was shocked and disappointed. Suddenly, Mom called us for dinner, ending our conversation. We moved from our seats to sit at the dining table. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it now. You have exams next month. Focus on them first, and then we¡¯ll decide what to do in the future,¡± Dad said. ¡°Hmm¡­yes,¡± I answered. What¡¯s there to decide? It¡¯s my choice to decide what I want to do in the future. My mind was full of such thoughts. After having supper, I went back to my room. I sat down on the chair and started to think about what Dad said to me. This reminded me of my close friend Pit (my diary). I took out my diary and started writing what had happened today, from morning till dinner. Then I wrote about what Dad said. Writing to Pit always gives me peace of mind. He¡¯s the only one I can tell everything to, except EJ (Ejeah). I wrote to him about how easy it is for people to say you can do whatever you want in the future, but somehow you feel pressured to choose what others decide for you. They say there are numerous options available, but you end up picking from just a few. Why can¡¯t we choose what we like? Is it that difficult to become what we dream of? But one thing I¡¯m sure of is that maybe not my parents, but my teachers will eventually agree with me. I¡¯ll surely get some good insight tomorrow. Let¡¯s hope for the best. With that, I ended my conversation with Pit and went to bed. The First Step Towards Dream The next day, as usual, I went to school. My squad was waiting near Uncle Jay¡¯s Departmental store in SQ Square. Everyone was anxious about what they were going to say in the career counseling session. Max seemed to be the least worried, as he knew exactly what he was going to say. James, on the other hand, was nervous as hell¡ªmore nervous than any of us. ¡°Hey, James, don¡¯t worry about it too much. Just say what you want to be,¡± Max comforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my child. Whatever you decide will be accepted by us. Just tell them what you have to say,¡± Uncle Jay said to James, patting him on the head. This gave James a bit of confidence, and we headed off to school. At school, the atmosphere was tense, and everyone seemed anxious. Everyone was talking about what they were going to say to our homeroom teacher. But Ejeah was confident. Even though I didn¡¯t know what he wanted to become, the glare and confidence in his eyes said it all. As for me, I was also nervous about what they were going to say. I was lost in thoughts, wondering how they would react when they heard about me. After the lunch break, it was time for our career counseling session. Each of us was called to the office to share what we had decided. James was the first one from our squad to get "sacrificed." We were all tense about how it would go for him. But everything went well. He came out with a gentle smile on his face. This left us wondering whether we should worry about ourselves or not, given his pleasant expression. Soon, Max and Ejeah also went when their turns came. And then it was my turn. With a bit of anxiety and a heart beating at a tremendous rate, I opened the door and saw our homeroom teacher sitting at his desk, updating the records of the previous students. I asked to come in and sat on the chair next to him. "Have you made up your mind about what you want to be?" he asked gently. "I want to pursue liberal arts and become an author, Sir," I answered with some confidence. "Why do you want to become an author?" he further questioned. "I love to write. I like to describe values and shed light on ideas that are often ignored by many. It gives me a sense of self." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Have you decided which school you want to get into?" "Not yet." He handed me a manual full of colleges offering different programs in liberal arts and a roadmap to achieve what you want to be. "I have read many of your writings, and I thought you wanted to become an author. It shows in your work. Good luck, and do well in your exams," he said with a genuine smile, showing support for my decision. "Thank you, Sir," I replied. With more confidence in me, I asked to leave and exited the room. His words gave me the courage to stand firm in my decision and try to persuade Dad. On my way back, I encountered other teachers. They asked me what I wanted to be. I gave them the same answer. They wished me the best, but their faces didn¡¯t seem to reflect their words. They had a disappointed look that showed they hadn¡¯t expected this from me. To my surprise, one of them asked me to think carefully and decide wisely. They shared the common thought that someone good at studies shouldn¡¯t "waste" their life doing things related to arts and humanities¡ªa general perception held by the majority. But I still hoped that someone would recognize me and support what I wanted, not what others thought I should do. Although I felt disheartened after hearing their words, the encouragement from my homeroom teacher kept me from dwelling on them too much. When I returned to class, everyone was happy. It was as if all their worries and sorrows had vanished. I went to sit in my place. Our homeroom teacher came in and announced that the first CCS had ended, and there would be another one after our exams. He said, "For those of you who have decided what you want to be, live up to your expectations, and for those who haven¡¯t, don¡¯t worry about it too much right now. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to become what you want to be the next day. This is just to help you decide where you want your life to go. Give yourself enough time to think about what you want to do and how you will achieve your goals. Discuss this with your parents, with us, your siblings, or whoever you want to. Never hesitate to ask. Experience gives better clarity than knowledge. Also, choose your goals where you not only enjoy being at your destination but also enjoy the journey that will take you there. Good luck with your exams." These words gave everyone enough courage to not hold back and to look for ways to achieve their dreams. Our school hours ended, and we went back home. After supper, I told Pit what had happened today and shared the words of encouragement given by our homeroom teacher. Sometimes a few words of discouragement can tear your trust into pieces, and a simple word of support can give you the courage to tackle your challenges and prove others wrong. If your determination is firm, even a single supporter can help you put up a tough battle; but if your determination is weak, even with the support of hundreds, you have a greater probability of losing. With this, I ended my conversation and went to study for the upcoming exams.