IN THE RICE BOX: Who’s Got Talent?

OLIVIA CHEUNG
Editor in Chief

Tick. Tock. My eyes frantically scan the room, desperate for a source of motivation and a break from my laptop screen. On it was the same question that I spent half an hour staring at, baffled by its simplicity yet its clear implications.

Talk about a special talent.

Singing? Only if badly belting along to Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” counts. Dancing? My legs naturally tangle themselves. Playing an instrument? … Yeah, I’m talentless.

However, I prove to be a master when it comes to summarizing seven seasons’ worth of a television show, memorizing dozens of quotes and easing a suffocating atmosphere.

Since I was little, I was accustomed to associating talent with singing, acting and dancing—something of commercial value. What I failed to realize was that everyone is talented in their own ways. I can memorize the nooks and crannies of a location after visiting it only once. She can cook ramen perfectly at 2 a.m. He’s a human encyclopedia who can recite hours of science documentaries. These are all talents, despite what society has conditioned us into believing.

Our talents aren’t defined by what economical purposes they can serve. Our talents reflect our identities and our interests, and those are plenty more important than what they’re worth to others. We are all talented individuals who need to stop deluding ourselves otherwise.