I am a very powerful wizard, the most powerful one of the century. Well, at least I was when I was eight years old. But trust me, boy was I powerful! I conjured spells, articulated curses, and whizzed around the neighborhood on a magic broomstick. I did it all with a smile too, the type of smile that relayed insurance and confidence to all who saw it. Any person who happened to glance their way at this smile would stop and think, “Look at that, a real wizard!” I now must sadly report that I was not an eight-year-old wizard (shocking I know). Not really, anyway. I had the wand, the spells memorized, and the Harry Potter glasses (both obnoxious and iconic). But the most important possessions of mine during the Great Harry Potter Fantasy Era (2003-2005) were intangible. I had passion for story and the ability to weave an intricate plot with uniquely complex and evolving characters out of seemingly nothing.

I would put my imagination to the test and create hefty storylines and strange places, all along using my magic wand and broomstick to defeat villains and adventure across fantastical landscapes that only I could see! It was both terrifying and deliciously powerful. I also possessed great faith, faith that one day, I too would live like Harry and travel to Hogwarts and earn a degree in magical studies (until that faithful year of 2006 when I did not receive my Hogwarts letter at the age of 11… it was a dark time).

I eventually lost my wand (or did my brother break it?) and switched to contact lenses. I am lucky today to name even one of the numerous spells I had memorized back when I was eight. My mother eventually bullied me into using the broomstick for chores rather than magical fantasies. But those intangible items have since guided me in my childhood development and have witnessed my recent coming of age. I am not the wannabe version of Harry Potter, not anymore. I am my own person. I am Aidan. But I would not be doing Harry justice if I said that those years of childhood fantasy were a waste. In fact, they were far from a waste. They taught me that imagination and creativity are one of the most important things a person can have, and are especially important in a world of computer games and iPhones. Those years shaped the determined and passionate individual I am today, the type of unique person that is willing to solve problems and face challenges head on (even without a magic wand). And while a magical education may not be an option anymore, an education in medicine certainly is. Besides, a degree in magical studies is overrated anyway.