What’s your talent and what to do with it?

For Parents and Family Weekend, there was a tailgate before the Maryland Game in the Oosterbaan Fieldhouse for all umich families. Here, everyone was provided with great food, essential maize and blue game-day accessories, and entertainment by campus group performances. Many of which I had not gotten the chance to see until this event shed light on them. Featured student groups included Angels on Call, Harmonettes, GROOVE, FunKtion, RhythM Tap Ensemble, TAAL, Leim Irish Dance, Maize Mirchi, 58 Greene, U-M Dance Team, U-M Cheerleading Team, and the U-M Marching Band. Each act expressed completely different energies from a variety of cultural blends, music, and dance styles. While some, in addition to their voices and steps, harmonized their appearances with uniforms, others distinguished their personalities with their outfits. The synchrony of the groups and the layering of unique sounds complimented the idea of individuality molding with togetherness to produce incredible sound. I recognized a few faces from classes, my living complex, and friends I see around all the time. Little did I know the talent they had. That’s my favorite part about talent; it’s usually a surprise.

To keep your talents to yourself: Is it modest or is it selfish?

Modest: Holding a special ability under the surface could be like a treasure hunt; only a few people ever know you deep enough to find it. More introverts prefer to be the observers. They conserve the electricity with which they have the potential to illuminate an entire room. They astound people with their unassuming excellence.
Selfish: It would be a shame to keep such gifts hidden from the world. If it makes you happy, do it. If it makes others happy, even better. More extroverts prefer to be the performers. Ultimately, having the talent is like having the electricity to light the bulb. If you have power, turn on the lights. If you can play the harp, the allegedly the most difficult instrument to master, I would be disheartened if I never got the chance to hear you.

I suppose it’s how you carry yourself, but tell me what you think. Regardless of stance, you’re special whether your talent is eating six Saltine crackers in sixty seconds or carving Mount Rushmore into a Styrofoam cube with a spork. People like you keep the world interesting.