Every week on “Make Me Smart,” we ask an expert, celebrity, author or other prominent figure: “What’s something you thought you knew but later found out you were wrong about?” It’s called the Make Me Smart question.

This week, we hear from 2022 National Youth Poet Laureate, Alyssa Gaines. Gaines is also a student at Harvard University and an advocate for expanding access to fine arts programs in her hometown of Indianapolis.

When I was younger, I thought that knowing what I wanted to do in the most specific and concrete way was what was going to help me become successful. And I thought it was better to have this solid outlined path to follow. And I think now I’m realizing that, that unknown is super exciting because there’s so many different options and opportunities. And I have so much time to, to study what I’m really passionate about, and make a life for myself that is doing something meaningful to me.

You can share your answer to the Make Me Smart question by leaving us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email a voice memo to makemesmart@marketplace.org.