The recent release of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians show on Disney Plus makes me want to listen to Riptide on repeat, start eating exclusively blue foods, and maybe go on an epic quest to save the world. While we definitely won’t be running into minotaurs or furies at any FFA events, our journey in FFA is not so different from Percy’s adventures. FFA is our Camp Half-Blood, and we as members are the demigods of agriculture and leadership. 

Whether it be a spring contest, an office you want to run for, or an SAE you want to start, think of your next project or event in FFA as a quest. There will undoubtedly be roadblocks— metaphorical monsters to face, riddles to solve, and mazes to navigate. Percy wouldn’t have been half the hero he is without the challenges he faced. Likewise, our FFA quests shape us into stronger problem-solvers and leaders.

Being a demigod is far from easy, and for Percy, it comes with high expectations from the Olympian gods, his fellow demigods, his closest friends, and even the monsters he faces. Those expectations cause him to struggle with self-doubt, fear of failure, and the constant pressure to live up to the heroic image others have of him. While this experience looks different for us, our lives are not free from expectations either. 

One of my favorite quotes from the Percy Jackson books is, “If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.” It will never be possible to please everyone. At the end of the day, it is up to us as individuals to push ourselves, know our limits, and make the choices that are right for us. We are the authors of our own story. There is no prophecy telling us what to do or who to be. Our story is waiting to be written, and it is up to us to make it a tale worthy of Camp Half-Blood.