I’ve always been a dreamer. While all my friends were thinking about how bad life can be, I was off in my dream world. Oh yes, occasionally reality would strike in. But whenever that would happen, I’d go back to freedom. I’ve always loved the idea that inside your head you can be whoever you want to be, you can think whatever you want to. All the colors of the spectrum open to you. A world full of possibilities.

Realists have no idea what they’re going to be or do in life. They spend their days thinking about today, not tomorrow. I dream up the impossible. I like to think that I’ll be everything I want to be, do everything I want to do, and live my life. I was going to Princeton, going to become a novelist and maybe write for a magazine (that was undecided.)

So obviously I freaked when I heard that SATs were coming. The idea of external exams became like a dark cloud, hovering over my spectrum of possibility. My brain’s color was suddenly black and white. All I could think about was my overdramatic teachers. They all seemed to be saying the exact same thing to me: you better do well or you’ll be the new cashier at mcdonald’s… for the rest of your life.

Some, like my best friend Beth, took it all quite well. “It doesn’t matter!” she’d say, I’m sure every day. But for me? All of the sudden, my possibilities went out the door. Science? You’re horrible at science! Forget Princeton! When SATs came closer, I took down my Princeton pennant, and slowly began to stop wearing my hoodie. All hope seemed lost. Reality and dreams had had a huge fight, and reality was stronger. Why? Because reality seemed right.

Well I took those wretched exams. I don’t receive the results for ages, but I’m still alive. Alive and full of color. Reality isn’t always right. It usually isn’t. Call me cliché, but nothing should stop you from going for what you want. Nothing. Parents can’t, your friends can’t... and most importantly pathetic exams can’t. If you, like me, dare to dream big, go for it. Reality’s knocked me over, and it will for you too. The important thing is fighting back. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a certain pennant to hang up.