School is supposed to prepare you for life. By the time you graduate from high school, society expects you to have some idea what kind of career you would like to pursue -- or at least what your college major might be. No pressure there!

And here’s the thing: there’s more to life than school and work. There’s all that leisure time you can look forward to. You can pursue things you love that may not have anything to do with study or earning a living. If you’re really lucky, you’ll find a career that revolves around something you’re passionate about – a job that is both inspiring and meaningful.

What might that be? Electives can help you figure that out.

You already have interests outside school – sports or music or animals, for instance. Maybe you’ve been fortunate to have lots of interesting experiences as a child and teen, and those have opened your eyes to new academic or personal pursuits. Most teens simply haven’t had time enough to uncover and explore the wealth of opportunities out there. There is a new love just waiting for you to discover it.

Electives let you “test drive” new subject areas and activities.

How about an engineering class? Whatever you think “engineering” is, you’re probably missing the big picture. Engineers draw. They build – bridges, buildings, gizmos, cars, space rockets, lawnmowers. Things that move and things that don’t. They use science and math and creativity to solve problems. The guy who invented Post-Its was an engineer. Discovering a love of engineering could make you that guy (or woman) in the future. Or it could enable you to design and build your own home.

Do you love interacting with people? Peering through a microscope? Health science electives can point the way toward innumerable new loves.

Consider digital arts. Have you ever watched an animated video and wondered, how do they do that? Why not find out, by taking an elective that teaches you the basics of digital design or lets you play around with 3D and animation?

Business knowledge is a necessity for almost any job you can think of. But business acumen – understanding how business works – will help you be a savvier consumer, too. It might even make you think about starting your own business. Or realize that your natural organizational skills would make you a great project or production manager or community volunteer.

As a teen, you’ve grown up with technology. You use it every day to study and communicate with friends, no matter where they are. At Sterling Academy we’re all about technology, because our classes are 100% online. But what’s behind all these devices and all the software most of take for granted? It’s fascinating, and peeking behind the scenes with technology could reveal a new love for you.

Foreign language electives can take you on a trip to faraway lands. They teach you about the cultures that speak that language and the countries where they live. There is a lot to love there, whether you turn world languages into a vocation or use them to meet new friends as you travel.

No matter what electives you choose, their diversity will quickly show you how interconnected our world is. You’ll find there is a way to apply what you love to almost anything.

Life is most rewarding when it is filled with things you truly enjoy, whether that’s for work or just for you. The more electives you take that are outside your comfort zone or completely outside your prior experience, the more likely you are to find a new love that will last a lifetime.