Andrea Hurtado
  • HOME
  • ABOUT ME
  • BLOG
  • INNOVATION ACADEMY
    • PROJECTS >
      • TED TALK
      • STORY TIME
      • SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING
      • AMERICAN DREAM
      • BLENDZ
    • JOURNALISM
    • INTERNSHIPS
  • PASSIONS
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • OAE
    • SERVICE

BREAKING the NORMS

12/8/2014

1 Comment

 
Rules, systems, norms, and cycles, it's all society and nature is conformed of. We HUMANS, have an innate instinct to play the game exactly how it's spelled out--exactly how everyone else does. We are  afraid to step aside from the conventional. WHY? Because we are P R E S S U R E D by EXPECTATIONS. Society has SHAPED us in a way where we've grown up to think that thing can only be done one way, so we feel enslaved to fulfill those EXPECTATIONS following those outlines trails because it's the ULTIMATE and ONLY approach to TRIUMPH. 
Picture
We talk about INNOVATING and fostering CREATIVITY, but when someone takes a different turn society T A L K S.  We are terrified to LEAVE our comfort zone because we don't want to be the NEXT topic of societies T A L K S. However, a year ago, I decided to BREAK the NORMS, challenge the TRADITIONAL, and take a RISK, so I decided to embark myself in the Innovation Academy journey. With my last two years of school in front of me and my college future, I decided to put everything on the LINE because I was tiered of fulfilling society's expectations and following the CLASSIC path that everyone--like sheep--follows. Today, after a year and a half, I look back and see is how REWARDING this experience has been, and how I've tremendously changed as a person. Today, I'm TWO weeks away from receiving college admissions notifications. Even though I'm scared how society--especially this traditional and norm based system--will view me, because I BROKE some established norms, I look back at my experience in the IA and I realize how every minute has been worth it. 
Picture
If we continue walking on explored ground, we will never discover new wonders. Yes, risks are part of the package, but great compensations come in as well. Through the IA I've been able to discover myself more in DEPTH and truly understand who I am and what defines me. TWO years ago I was completely S C A T T E R E D, I had no clue what were my passions and what I wanted to do in life. The IA has given me the opportunity to experiment different paths, and different strategies to work around those paths. As I've failed, learn from my errors, and gotten a taste of a variety of experiences, I feel that I have gained a sense of DIRECTION and I have a better clue of where my destination is heading. This is why, this past year, I have worked towards developing the tools and finding the perfect route to reach that destination. I was able to give my college search more meaning, because I had a VERY clear IDEA of what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted to accomplish that. If I would have stuck with the path that is already build for us, instead of building my own, I would STILL feel SCATTERED and I would STILL have no clue of my DESTINATION. Sometimes we NEED to leave the BOX and the SYSTEMS, and take RISKS, because the VALUABLE experienced come from CHALLENGING society's expectations and from breaking the NORMS.
1 Comment
Corey Topf
12/14/2014 05:46:27 am

Drew! It's interesting you should write about this, because it's actually one of our biggest goals for the IA. We can learn all the content and skills in the world, but if students don't know who they are and what they're passionate about, then we haven't really been that successful at helping you become educated. I love what you say here: "Through the IA I've been able to discover myself more in DEPTH and truly understand who I am and what defines me. TWO years ago I was completely S C A T T E R E D, I had no clue what were my passions and what I wanted to do in life. The IA has given me the opportunity to experiment different paths, and different strategies to work around those paths. As I've failed, learn from my errors, and gotten a taste of a variety of experiences, I feel that I have gained a sense of DIRECTION and I have a better clue of where my destination is heading."

Thanks Drew!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    August 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.