My Long Term List Anonymous

Lists are my forte. To-do lists, shopping lists, top ten lists, BuzzFeed lists; just name a list and I have a detailed version doodled on my planner. My list-making habit originated at an early age, around the same time I started to engage in enough extracurriculars to make my head spin. I yearned for organization and, above all, I needed a plan.

My long-term high school plan, my prized list, was neatly etched on a scratch piece of paper during my freshman year. It was a masterpiece: simple, elegant, and concise, consisting of only three points.

1. Ascend to Regional N’siah (President) of my BBYO Region, a group of 300 Jewish teenagers in Washington and Oregon who participate in BBYO, a teen-led movement modeled after the Greek system.
2. Lead the Mercer Island Dance and Drill Team as Captain by choreographing routines and running practices.
3. Pursue my singing career by participating in Island Sound, working for Island Children’s Choir, and competing in International Barbershop Quartet competitions.

Yet, three years later, none of that transpired. Did I fail? No. Instead of running for the high school and regional positions, I altered my trajectory by running for the position of International Vice President of Membership and...