You don’t want to be a quitter, they never make it. A quote many parents have uttered to their kids. Though it is questionable if quitting can make you a loser. Steve Jobs dropped out of college, it was important to him so he could take classes that interested him. Following your dreams, doing what you love makes life an easier ride.

I find it hard to live up to my parent’s expectations without disappointing them. Having pride in what you do is an enormous factor in how well you do something, such as sports, clubs, academics, etc. Being a disappointment and not being as good as your siblings can discourage a passion for your motivation. Aaron Cupps, senior, understands how difficult it is to live up to follow in siblings’ footsteps.

“I quit theater. I didn’t really have a choice if I wanted to stay in theater or not, but it definitely opened up a lot more time to do other activities and help me be successful in other areas such as Academic Decathlon. I don’t believe quitting makes you a failure, it should just push you to do better,” said Cupps.

Making the choice to give up what you love can sometimes to be a difficult decision too. Being in different sports I have found that a coach has a large influence on the passion you have for what you love. Putting too much pressure on students who have to balance school and sports can be strenuous, although learning to time manage efficiently is important. Coaches can turn into time bombs, keeping you for your other priorities. Alyssa Thomas, senior, quit her passion for golf to find new passions, she has noticed a change in her mental health since she quit.

“Quitting golf wasn’t because I hated it, it was because the coach wasn’t helping me improve, so it became too much like a chore. Quitting helped me find new friends. I enjoy new activities such as cheer. It’s important to realize that you have to quit some passions that aren’t helping you move forward to find a new passion that will,” said Thomas.

Keeping a flexible schedule can help you de-stress. I find it relaxing at the end of the day, to reflect on how successful my day has been, but if I have too much on my plate, I become more stressed. Making a more manageable schedule should be more of a priority to students than which sport or organization gets me more popularity. Without prioritizing your time, an even larger problem is bound to occur. Madison Laue, senior, believes you never really have to quit your activities, but it does help you with prioritizing your time.

“I quit my extracurricular activities at school (choir and JROTC), because my schedule with travel hockey was way too hectic. I don’t think I had to quit to reach my goals, but it helped for sure. As a college committed player, time management is very important so narrow down what you can,” said Laue.

A loser shouldn’t be defined by how many activities you have quit, but a winner should be determined by how successful they have become. Wanting to follow your dreams also should be a higher priority, than “is mom going to be disappointed in me?”  Showing my parents I can be better than what they thought, is a greater feeling than coming in at average.