When my mom signed me up for dance class or violin lessons as a kid, college applications were a foreign concept to my innocent brain. I was just excited about trying new things and meeting new people.

Now, however, I can’t help but be aware of what extracurriculars I’m involved in. I’m clearly not the only one who’s a bit stressed about it.

According to the Princeton Review, 56 percent of teens reported “very high” stress levels due to college applications in 2003. In 2014, this percentage increased to 73 percent.

Colleges are increasingly becoming more competitive as more high schoolers move onto post-secondary schools, allowing many to be more selective. Extracurriculars and leadership positions are a much bigger factor in the college admissions process than they have been in the past.

This added pressure seems to have had an effect on my peers. I notice people attending clubs every day of the week, some of which they’re not even passionate about. Worse yet, I hear my peers lying about their extracurricular involvement.

How do colleges verify a student’s extracurricular involvement? What if a student has only attended three knitting club meetings but writes down that they’re the president?

It may be easy enough to write in an extra year of involvement or make up a leadership position, but passion is something that can’t be faked.

HHS offers 37 different clubs. This doesn’t take into account a wide variety of sports and fine arts opportunities as well. If you still aren’t inspired by this slew of choices, you’re welcome to start something on your own. After all, starting a club at HHS only requires six students and an advisor.

College applications aren’t meant to be a composition of people that you wish you were. They’re meant to represent who you are.

So skip the activities that feel like a chore. Try cheerleading, jazz band, or attend a Project Focus meeting. Try whatever feels right.

Colleges want to see your passion. If you haven’t found it yet, go out and start looking.