Was it worth it? I remember trying to answer this question on a plane ride back from New York. I had just received an award at the International Webby Awards ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street, where the most famous and influential leaders of the Internet industry were gathered to celebrate. To everyone else, my answer to ‘was it worth it?’ would seem simple. Before I could answer, however, the word ‘dilemma’ came first to my mind.

Passion has been the primary force that has guided me during the last three years. I am an adventurer, and my intuition told me that founding and pouring my time into Wayland Student Press Network, an on-line media startup, would bring much positive impact, both to the school community and my life. As a result, I was able to put Wayland High School on the map, nationally and internationally. I am now an aspiring technology and media entrepreneur with so much privilege and lots of potential (I am told). But in a structured school environment where a high school kid is expected to fulfill the duties of a high school student, I have constantly struggled with the dilemma of balance.

My teachers, friends, and strangers may think that I chose to take the road less traveled. On many days, I focused on developing my management, technical, and interpersonal skills over doing school homework and preparing for tests. What people do not know is that taking such a path was not a choice; my passion and I had a life of our own, and the intensity simply drove me during the last three years. There were so many highs and lows, but I couldn’t help it. Once the natural process of following my creative instincts began, I was just doing what I was born to do: taking risks and working toward creating something larger than myself.

Sometimes artists can lose everything while working on a piece of art. In my version, I got lower grades, lost points on tests, and was not able to take AP courses as a result. Sometimes my teachers tried to prevent me from attending conferences and doing any work for my startup, so I could focus solely on their classes. There were many sleepless nights and at times stress was overwhelming. There were times when I was devastated because of public criticisms and social barriers that resulted from being a “media mogul” at the age of 18 in a relatively small community. There was one time when I broke down and cried, though I never cry.

So was it worth it? Yes. As an adventurer, I have explored extensively, made new discoveries, and found and followed my passions. I trusted my abilities and succeeded in emerging from hard times with valuable life experiences gained. I had the privilege to be a creator and a leader.

Today, I have matured as an entrepreneur. I am confident that for my second major startup, I will be able to keep a more balanced life, whether it is between schoolwork and startups or between family and startups. In the meantime, as an immigrant and a transfer student, I am proud that I have made a permanent impact on my community. It seemed impossible at first, but I was able to inspire people by doing so. Frankly, that inspiration is what really matters to me. It’s what drives me forward as an entrepreneur.