We’re living in the Age of Information, and there’s no shortage of possibilities laid before each and every student embarking on their own path into college, careers, and adulthood.

The wide open nature of the potential is a double-edged sword. “You can do anything you set your mind to!” But just how do you figure out what that “anything” should be?

You do it by following your passion, and there’s no better way to explore that than with a passion project.

Read on to find out what a passion project is, how to know what topic is a good candidate for your own passion project, and a special offer for Compass Academic students!

What’s a passion project?

To put it simply, a passion project is an endeavor you take on because it fascinates you — not because it was assigned or required. You’ve found an interest, and you’re going to follow it for the sake of gaining knowledge and experience as its own reward.

A passion project can take many forms, but one of the joys of following your passion is getting to share it with the world. Some platforms you might use to broadcast what you’ve learned and discover include the following:

• Create a podcast to document and share your findings

• Present at a conference with like-minded people in the same field

• Write a novel that explores your ideas

• Build a website or app that showcases your expertise

• Publish a paper in a reputable journal in the discipline

Passion projects can take place in any area of study or take an interdisciplinary approach that combines multiple topics.

How do you know what your passion is?

If you’re a high-achieving student, it can sometimes be difficult to tell what’s a passion and what’s simply an application of your talents. Just because you’ve gotten a high grade on a test or find yourself understanding the concepts of a subject with ease doesn’t mean it’s your passion.

You want to find something that truly fills you with joy, excitement, and — well — passion.

Here are the signs you’re on the right track:

• You’re experiencing “flow”- “Flow” is the term for a cognitive state where time seems to run without you noticing it. You’re totally consumed by the task before you and feel intense focus — perhaps even so much so that you lose a sense of yourself in the process. You almost become the project you’re working on. If you find yourself falling into this zone, that’s a sign you’re hitting on your passion.

• You can’t stop talking about it- Have your friends hinted that they’re maybe a little tired of hearing about [fill in the blank]? Do you find yourself connecting all dots back to the same handful of subjects? Chances are those are your passions, and you’ve made them the center of many of your ideas.

• You’re fascinated by going deeper- Have you ever found yourself going down a rabbit hole of information? Reading more articles? Watching more documentaries? Insatiably seeking all the information you can on a topic? That’s your passion, and you don’t always have a choice in what’s going to send you on the search. You’re just along for the ride.

Create a passion project with purpose

Do you want some help crafting a passion project with a framework for successfully bringing your ideas forward?

Polygence is designed to do exactly that. The program builds 10 one-on-one sessions around a passion project that pairs a student with a mentor. With three core milestones built into the process, you’ll get the support you need to keep your passion project focused and supported to completion.

Use your passion project to showcase your interests and open doors for future research, study, and mentor opportunities.

Compass Academics has partnered with Polygence to offer an exciting opportunity for students looking to launch their passion projects. Get started today!