It’s not uncommon for a student to lose interest in an activity they used to love. They’ve taken karate classes, jumped hurdles, or played the French horn for a long time. But then the fun, the learning, or the rewards stop. Do you quit and move to something else, or forge ahead?
It’s not always easy to tell the difference between a temporary low point and a permanent loss of love within a chosen activity. And I don’t have a foolproof prescription for deciding when it’s time to move on. But, “I’ve just done it for so long” alone is almost never a good reason to stick with something.
Yes, colleges seek and appreciate students who have shown the capacity to commit to something that matters to them. Commitment combined with energy leads to impact. If you’re constantly flitting from one activity to the next, you don’t give yourself and any activity a chance to realize—or show colleges—what you’re capable of together.
But reluctantly plodding along in the name of commitment is no way to stand out, either. And when your only reason to continue is that you’ve been continuing for so long, maybe it’s time to consider renewing your energy with a fresh start doing something else.