Reflections of a Scholar: Inventing My Future

How one moment of uncertainty became the spark to dream boldly

“Who here knows what they want to be?”

Hands around the room went up like clockwork, knowing exactly how to respond to such a question. I was a broken cog in the machine, my hand tentatively reaching up halfway, my effort to fit in falling flat. 

What do I want to be?

I know vague details, like my favorite subjects are health and biology related, I love making new things, and I want to make a change in this world. I know that I want to go to medical school, yet I barely know what I want to specialize in. Half-formed plans of traveling and volunteering around the world, becoming a U.N. representative, and being elected as president tug at my mind, but most days they just feel like dreams that make the people around me laugh at my naivety. How could a regular girl like me achieve all of that?

Then Michael Geraghty, the panelist who first stationed this train of thought in my mind, said, “Wow! You guys are better off than me, I had no idea what I wanted to be!” 

As he continues describing his career journey, including how his current career hadn’t even existed when he was growing up, that train of thought starts up again. He invented his future through determination and hard work. At the time, so many people must have thought his dreams would stay dreams, but he never stopped working towards his goal. I listened to his words, and for a second I could see myself like that, carving out my own future.

Then, looking around at everyone else, who seemed so sure of their future, I found myself thinking, “What if their ideas for their future are just as bold and seemingly unattainable as mine? What if they just have the confidence to say they are sure of those ideas, rather than brush them off as just dreams?”

Before, I was unsure, and I couldn’t find it in myself to put myself out there and say  “Yes, I know what I’m doing in my future, no matter how crazy it may seem”, but next time, I won’t make the same mistake. Next time a similar situation arises, my hand will be the first to go up.  If I can find it in myself to put in the effort and resilience needed, then my dreams will become reality. 

Written by Iona Nandy, 2026 Scholar

Iona Nandy is a sophomore at the Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences. She has conducted independent research on the impact of exergaming on the cognitive function of adults with dementia. She is a Devil’s Youth Ambassador, a member of Stanford University’s Neuroscience Journal Club, and co-president of the New Jersey Chapter of Readability, which promotes literacy for neurodivergent youth. She also contributes to the nonprofit Marks Over Mind, advocating for student mental health. At school, Iona is co-fundraising chair of Relay for Life and participates in HOSA, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). She is also working to establish a Model United Nations club. Beyond STEM, she teaches younger children at Kumon, volunteers at a local hospital, dances at her studio, and plays tennis on the junior varsity team.