Finding My Place on the Planet|| Written as Part of UNICEF’s Voices of Youth Internship

It’s easy to feel lost in it all. As a young person, my greatest desire is to find my place in the world, a place where I can be the most powerful version of myself. I should warn you, the following content may seem like a lot of angst. However, that depends on who you are and how you choose to read this. The great thing is that no matter where you come from, your experience could be similar to mine.

A lifetime happens in stages. You start out being young and inexperienced and for many people, this is a time for making the most solid memories. At this time, the world seems so big and mysterious. There’s an urge to explore; everything is still magical. Family and school may be able to keep you in a protective bubble. It’s much easier to know the rules and how to follow them. Do your homework, do your chores, work on your grades and be nice.

When you get older, when you flee the nest, disillusionment sets in. The scope of the world reduces. Perhaps you get to university. You realise that you’re broke. Maybe the work you are putting into your coursework just isn’t enough anymore. That could be because you’re studying something you have no passion for, to make your parents proud.