IS is authorized by the College Board to provide AP (Advanced Placement) courses. The following article is from the official College Board website. 

VIS 為美國大學理事會（College Board）正式認證學校，經授權可開授AP課程。以下文章出自於美國大學理事會 College Board 官網，提供中文翻譯給學生家長參考。

Original source 原文出處:  

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/own-your-future/learning-what-you-love-in-high-school

 

Learning What You Love in High School
留學世界頂大 從樂在學習開始

High school is the perfect time to explore your talents and hobbies to find out what you really enjoy doing.
高中的學習生涯，正是最適合探索興趣和天賦的時候。

Learning What You Love in High School
留學世界頂大 從樂在學習開始

Here’s something no one tells you about your high school education: You’re the one in control. You’re in charge of what you do and how well you do it. It’s up to you whether you treat high school as something imposed on you─something to simply trudge through─or as a time to figure out what you love and want to do with your life.
可能從來都沒人跟你說過：讀高中時，你是有絕對掌控權的。你可以掌握想做的事情、也可以發揮所長。要把高中三年的學習當作是強加在你身上的事情 (然後渾渾噩噩度過) 或是當作一個可以探索興趣跟未來職涯的時期，全都取決在你自己。

Here’s another secret: When you’re doing something you love, it doesn’t feel like work. What can you do now, while you’re young, to find out what you’re passionate about?
還有個秘密：如果你做的事情是你喜愛的，就不會覺得辛苦。趁年輕，就該好好地找到你熱愛的事情。

How to Find Out What Your Passions Are in High School
如何在高中時，找到自己熱愛的事物

Being an enthusiastic learner or having enthusiasm for learning doesn’t mean gluing yourself to your school textbooks. It means a lifetime of developing your talents and feeding your curiosity about the things you love. That can be anything from music to math and physics to painting and sports. Your options are endless.
熱衷學習並不是要時時刻刻把自己跟教科書綁在一起，而是一輩子開發天賦、在熱愛的事物上保持好奇心。不管你喜歡的是音樂、數學、物理、繪畫或是運動，你永遠都能持續探索。

But what if you aren’t sure what you're very interested in? With college admissions right around the corner and high school drawing to an end, you may be worried that you haven’t found that spark that leads you down your ideal career path. This is something everyone will experience at some point in their lives. Here are some things to do right now to guide yourself an education you’re enthusiastic about:
不過要是你對自己的興趣不那麼確定、該怎麼辦？留學海外、申請大學 (college admissions)的計畫刻不容緩、高中生活也即將結束，你可能會擔心自己還沒找到那可以引領你邁向理想職涯的火花。這種過程每個人的一生中都曾有過，要找到你熱切想要學習的大學環境，不妨參考以下建議：

Write Down All the Things That Make You Happy.
寫下讓你開心的事物

As in so many situations, writing down your thoughts─just for yourself─is a good way to start. Think about the things you love to do. Be specific about what it is you love about something and what your role is in it.
在多數情況下，寫下自己的想法(忠於自己的想法)，是能幫助思考的開端。想想自己喜歡的事情，確切寫下自己喜歡做的事情、和你在這些事情中的角色。

Here are a few examples:
不妨參考以下例子：

• You’re passionate about music, specifically about composing original music.
  你對音樂有熱情、特別是原創音樂的創作。
• You’re passionate about sports, specifically about coaching others.
  你對運動有熱情、特別是教練工作。
• You’re passionate about computers, specifically about coding video games.
  你對電腦有熱情、特別是編寫電玩程式。
• You’re passionate about writing, specifically reporting on the news.
  你對寫作有熱情、特別是新聞報導。

Once you have a list of things you’re enthusiastic about, think about your personality and how you prefer doing things. Answer questions like these:
列出你有熱情的事物、想想自己的個性、你傾向的做事方式，然後回答這些問題：

• Do I prefer to give a speech or write a speech?
  我比較喜歡演講還是寫講稿？
• Would I rather be an actor or a director?
  我比較想當演員還是導演？
• Would I rather listen to music or play music?
  我比較喜歡聽音樂還是演奏音樂？
• Do I plan out everything before I take on a project or dive right in?
  我做事會先計畫還是直接投入？
• Am I outgoing or introspective?
  我外向還是內向？
• Would I rather think up something new or improve upon something that already exists?
  我比較喜歡創造全新的事物、還是把原本存在的事物改進、優化？
• Do I prefer to be a leader or a team member?
  我比較喜歡當領袖還是團隊成員？

Write down your answers and any other thoughts you have about your personality and interests. Then list the classes you’re taking now or have taken recently. Try to make connections between your notes about yourself and your classes. Which classes cover subjects or teach skills that relate to the things you love? Have any of these classes helped you recognize an interest you didn’t know you had?
寫下你的答案，以及其他針對你的個性與興趣的想法，列出你目前或是最近的修課清單，接著請在你寫下的筆記和你上的課當中找出關連。哪些堂課會包含到你喜愛的主題或是會教到相關技術？有什麼課程有助於你找到你之前沒發現的興趣？

You can also list your talents. Are you good at math? Can you sing or act? Are you able to teach yourself computer languages? A list of your skills and talents may help you discover a career path. This list may also help you with choosing the rest of your high school classes and improving your study skills.
你也可以列出你的專長，你擅長數學？你會唱歌演戲？會自學程式語言？列出你的專長也可以幫助你發掘職涯，這清單也可以幫助你選擇剩下的高中課程，並深化你的學習。

Work Backward From Your Future Vision.
從未來出發，規劃現在

Envision yourself in the future. Five years, 10 years, even 20 years from now. In your ideal world, what are you doing? When answering this question, don’t limit yourself. Answer with your heart: If you could be doing anything in the future, what would it be?
想像自己的未來，五年、十年、甚至二十年後的自己，身處在你理想的環境裡、那時候的你在做什麼？回答這樣的問題時，別限縮自己的想像。用你的心認真回答：未來的你可以做得到任何事情，那麼你選擇做什麼？

Let’s say, for example, that in your ideal future, you are a marine biologist who is authoring groundbreaking research papers. How did you get there? What classes did you take in college? What internships did you get? How did you build relationships with your professors, mentors, and peers to get these opportunities?
舉例來說，你的理想未來可能是成為一個海洋生物學家，正在寫一篇偉大的研究論文。你該做些什麼才能到達那裡？大學該修什麼課？要去哪實習？要怎麼經營跟教授、指導老師、同儕的關係，才能到達那個理想的未來？

The best thing about doing this is that you don’t need concrete answers to these questions right away, just ideas. You’ll have plenty of opportunities in college to explore majors and experiment with taking classes that pique your interest.
這麼做的好處是，你不需要立刻就有確切的答案，一切都還只是想法。申請上大學後你有更多機會可以探索自己想要選擇的主修，也可以體驗修習各種符合你興趣的課程。

Plan Ahead Based on These Insights.
根據你的想法、事先規劃

Now that you have some ideas for what you're enthusiastic about, what your role is in these interests, and a road map for getting to a future where your passion is your career, let’s work our way back to the present day.
現在你對於自己熱愛的事物有了些想法，也知道了你在這些事情上面喜歡擔任的角色、也有了可以抵達你熱情所在的地圖，接著就來逆向回到此刻，規劃你現在該做的事情。

Take a Fresh Approach to Your Work in High School.
用全新方式面對高中課業

See if you can approach homework in a way that allows you to explore your interests and spark your passion for learning about what you love. For instance, if you love art, you may be able to choose a topic for a history paper that investigates the connection between the art movements and key political events of a particular time period.
試試看可不可以用新的方式、用能夠探索你興趣、點燃你熱情方法來學習。離如你喜歡的是美術，你可以在寫歷史報告的時候，研究某個時代的重要政治事件與美學運動之間的關係，讓你的高中學習跟你的興趣關聯起來。

Try New Things.
嘗試新事物

If you’re open to stepping outside your comfort zone, you’ll find yourself meeting new people, going places you never imagined, and discovering skills and talents you didn’t think you had.
如果你不排斥踏出舒適圈，就能夠認識新朋友、去到你之前沒想過的地方、發掘你從未發現的天賦與專長。

New opportunities can come to you in many ways. You can:
你有很多方式可以獲得新的機會，不妨嘗試：

• Register for a challenging class.
  選修一堂有挑戰性的課程。
• Join clubs and extracurricular activities.
  加入社團和課外活動。
• Try out for a play or a team.
  加入演出或是團隊活動。
• Say “yes” to a teacher, employer, or mentor who suggests a special project.
  師長建議你參加特別的專案，就答應吧。
• Make a new friend who expands your perspective.
  結交可以擴展你視野的新朋友。

The next time someone approaches you with a new opportunity, don’t say “no” right away, even if it seems boring or hard. Think about it. Ask yourself questions like these:
下次有人要給你新的機會，絕不要立刻拒絕，就算這機會看起來無聊或困難，都還是要好好考慮、問自己下列問題：

• What will I learn from this?
  我會在這機會裡學到什麼？
• What kinds of people will I meet?
  我會遇到怎樣的人？
• Where can it take me?
  這機會會把我帶向哪裡？
• Am I afraid to do this? If so, why?
  我是不是會害怕？為什麼？

Ask for Help.
尋求協助

Your counselor, principal, and teachers can help you figure out how to make the most of your high school experience. Try asking these questions:
你的升學輔導老師、校長跟老師們都可以給你建議，讓你好好利用高中生涯。不妨問自己下列問題：

• Does our school offer elective classes that may interest me?
  我們學校有沒有會讓我感興趣的選修課？
• Are there school clubs related to my interests? If not, how do I start one?
  有沒有跟我興趣相關的學校社團？如果沒有，我要怎麼成立新社團？
• Can I take an interest inventory? (This test shows you careers that match your interests.)
  我可以做興趣量表測驗？（這個測驗會有符合你興趣的職業配對結果。）

Original source 原文出處:  

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/own-your-future/learning-what-you-love-in-high-school
If you would like to discuss college options further, please make an appointment with our college counselor Ms. Rosalyn Shih ( collegecounseling@vis.tp.edu.tw) to find out more.

如果VIS同學們想進一步討論如何選擇海外的大學，請與VIS的升學顧問 Miss Rosalyn Shih ( collegecounseling@vis.tp.edu.tw ) 預約晤談以了解更多資訊。