This story was written by Andrea Taneva during the Journalism & Creative Writing course at the AUBG Educational Summer Camp 2026. It was selected for publication from among the stories produced during the course.
We wake up as pure souls, untouched by jealousy and judgment, destined to be something great. Grow up surrounded by expectations and fears, constantly trying to prove that we are worthy of respect and love. We want to leave a mark, to be extraordinary.
But still we hide.
Too scared to speak up in case our voice gets heard, too afraid of being misunderstood.
Hoping that the spark that keeps us dreaming will never fade away, that the fire inside our hearts will never burn us alive. Blame the flame for hurting us while we keep feeding it. Doubts, fears, hopeless efforts and improbable dreams.
And still we wonder, why we are slowly fading.
As the world keeps spinning, our voice gets lost somewhere in the crowd. As we try to survive, we inevitably drown in our own worries.
One day, you wake up again.
Just an ordinary morning in your meaningless life. As you look at the sky and the clouds scattered across it, the sun’s rays blind you. Their warmth touches your skin, and you smile. You stop for a moment and simply listen to the silence around. The beauty of the world in contrast with the poisonous thoughts inside your mind.
Perhaps you realise something.
That the life you have always wanted has always been in your hands.
The human race is filled with passions. Passions that make us feel something beyond comprehension, something that can’t be put into words. Something that gives us meaning. And that by itself is worth more than what the world expects from us and the criticism that no one can escape.
So feed those passions, follow that which makes your heart beat faster, and your thoughts go silent.
Write.
Write poems that don’t make sense, write because it makes you feel. Write because it fills your heart with love and desire. Write with the intention to get a glimpse inside your soul and spread the words that linger across your heart.
Love.
Love because it heals, even if it hurts. Love the ground that you step on, the rain that damps your skin, the wind that dishevels your hair.
Dance and sing.
On the street, in the coffee shop, in your room, at school. Dance when it storms, sing when everything is silent. Even if they look at you weirdly, even if it doesn’t fit into people’s definition of normal.
In a world where following what you love is viewed as a waste of time.
Seize the day. Make your life extraordinary. And you will never be lost again.
Author Bio: Andrea Taneva is a 16-year-old high school student from Sofia, Bulgaria. She is passionate about writing stories and poetry, as well as singing, dancing, and sports. Andrea dreams of becoming a writer because she believes everyone should dream big and follow their heart. She joined the AUBG Educational Summer Camp to get a glimpse of university life, meet new people, explore different cultures, and expand her knowledge.
