What Would You Be...?, by Amy Holm

What Would You Be...?

empowering women, families, and youth-at-risk through improved literacy, increased positive media, and tools for living.

By Amy Holm 2011

Most little girls grow up wanting to be ballerinas, princesses, or teachers. But when I was eight years old, I wanted to fly into space. As a child, I was told that I could be whatever I wanted to be. But I wasn’t told that I’d need to work hard, have lots of money, and be better than every one else to do it. If money wasn’t an issue and if I knew I couldn’t fail, I’d want to be an astronaut and pilot a space shuttle to the moon to conduct experiments and learn more about the last frontier. The universe is an incredible entity that we know basically nothing about, and I would love the chance to experience first hand its supernatural beauty and complexity. This dream of flying in space wouldn’t come easily, but would come after many years of hard work and training. I would get an early acceptance to MIT and double major in both physics and chemistry, receiving a 4.0 every semester except one and wowing the professors. Then I’d join the air force, training day in and day out to make sure that I was ready for the physical tests I would have to pass during the air force and during NASA training. I would make sure that my commanding officer knew exactly who I was and how hard I worked. After three years of flying jets, I’d finally sign on with a NASA training group and be on my way to becoming an astronaut. On my first flight into space, I’d actually lose my breath after glimpsing Earth through a small window from 230,000 miles away. Standing on Earth, everything seems big to us humans who are dwarfed by the mountains and the oceans. But from space, Earth is the small one. After much tight-lipped and tense anticipation, my team and I would land on the moon and I would finally take my first bouncy step on the sphere of rock that influences Earth’s tides and creates eclipses. I would stand next to a crater, gazing out toward Earth, and realize that there is something wonderful about being completely detached from home, but knowing that the answers to ancient mysteries are right underneath my space boots.

Amy Holm is a junior at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington majoring in Journalism and Public Relations where she has written many articles for the campus newspaper.