The Last Word

By Jay Lee | Posted: Wednesday September 6, 2017

Our choices define our character, you are who you are because of the choices you’ve made up until this point. These choices can vary from being as small as deciding to start a conversation with someone to being as big as choosing what you want to study when you leave high school.

I’m sure many of you will agree with me when I say that life isn’t just a walk in the park, at times it’ll get you down in the dumps but there’ll always be someone there to pick you up because there are people who choose to be there for others.

So choose to be that person, when you notice that your mate is looking a bit down, talk to them. If you notice they’re having a bit of trouble in class, help them. Make the active choice to help others because these actions will be the things that mould you into a person who cares and a person who cares is a person who has courage, the courage to put others before themselves.

Choice isn’t all about helping others though, it’s also about choosing the right things for yourself. You see, choice isn’t something that comes with opportunities, it’s the choices you make that will bring opportunities around.

The saying “the only stupid question is the one not asked” is widely thrown around. However, I feel like there’s a better saying if we just swap the words question with choice. "The only stupid choice is the one you don’t make”, this saying is easy to understand, if you were given the chance, why wouldn’t you play an active part in deciding where you want to go with your life?

I can gladly say that I’ve taken the front seat in making most of my decisions and because of this I’ve been provided with so many awesome opportunities. A great example of this is my choice in coming to Otago Boys’ High School. My decision to come to this school has done great things for me, I’ve made heaps of new friends and have been able to share amazing experiences with them. OB’s has also allowed me to try new things that I never would’ve imagined myself doing like singing on a stage in production which is an experience I will never forget.

So, to round things up, the things I have experienced because of the choices I’ve made have shaped me into the person standing here right now and the same can be said for you. But don’t think this means you’re now set in stone, you still have plenty of years left ahead of you and you’re going to have to make some choices which will ultimately end up building your character further. Through this change, you’ll end up paving the road to your own success in the future.

Just remember that making a choice is always risky, just like driving a car but the benefit of driving where you want to go is well worth it. So don’t call shotgun when a chance to make a choice about your own life comes along. Get behind the wheel, and drive your own choices.