Rumeenations: 18 going on 8

As my classmates and I dragged ourselves into our seats at the beginning of period 2 on a slow morning last week, Dr. Adler looked at us for a moment and asked us point blank: “Do you ever wonder anymore?”

Despite the simplicity of the question, I was stumped. I knew what I hoped the answer to be: as a Harker student who loves to learn for the sake of learning, of course I still wonder! But I also knew what the real, unfiltered answer was: Over the course of the past year, I probably haven’t paid enough attention to my surroundings to know.

Siloed into my insular world of college applications during first semester, I narrow-mindedly cared more about framing the perfect opening sentence to my personal statement. And during the past few months of second semester, I have approached school more mechanically than I’d like to admit, doing coursework for the sole intention of completing it. Perhaps Senioritis muffles our unaffected sense of wonderment, but I think it’s unfair to attribute my potentially decreased general curiosity to simply being a second semester senior.

As a recently legal adult, I want to embrace my inherent childlike characteristics more than ever. If there is anything that turning 18 has reminded me of, it’s not that I can now legally buy a lottery ticket or sign a contract; instead, it’s that I now have more reason to intentionally approach my surroundings with awe and appreciation as a kid would. After all, I only have two more months of high school to learn authentically without the added pressure of grades that will affect my college admissions or resume.

Granted, this proposal probably sounds idealistic, especially to seniors who may be counting down the days until graduation. I don’t think wonder can be forced, but it can be cultivated. A genuine interest and desire to question our surroundings might allow us to better understand the world around us rather than isolating ourselves in our own opinions and experiences.

Despite my rote attitude towards life over the past few months, I hope to be able to maintain a childlike curiosity as I transition into college so that I can approach the next few years with fresh, open eyes and be in constant admiration of the world; life seems to be more inspiring that way.

I may be 18 in age, but I’m now aiming for 8 at heart.