"The Haters Judged a book by its cover"- Brie Bella

This is an open letter to everyone who doubted me and made me doubt myself when I was in high school and for those who thought I would never become anything in life. For all the people who thought that college would be high school 2.0 for me and thought I'd just be another faceless person in the crowd. To all the people who doubted me and never believed I could become a success. Who I am now was not who I was then. The high school version of me is long gone. That John left as soon as I finished high school and began finding himself. The dark days of summer 2014 allowed for me to find the light and myself in the darkness. To everyone I was just the quiet and smart kid but no one knew my truth. I faced so much adversity at a young age. For my first two years of high school, my family faced financial hardships: our car was repossessed and my dad did not have a job for almost 3 and a half years. My mother even had to sell all her gold and our family jewelry to make ends meet. Since my brother was 18 he was helping my parents make ends meet. No one knew about all the hard times. I am proof that even with limited resources and with no one believing in you, you can still make it. I go to a very prestigious private college now. No one believed in me, and for a long time I even doubted myself. When I was 17 turning 18, I began going through a change and a metamorphosis.

I became the person I knew I could always be: I have successfully worked two campus jobs, I am three months from graduating college, I am apart of many different clubs at school, I have been writing for the Odyssey for nearly two years, I helped plan my college's successful winter semi formal, I am an ambassador for the college and tour guide, I have a great reputation on campus and I have great friends and great connections. Not to sound like I am bragging but I was just the quiet, fairly smart, nice kid in high school. For me to have all this success is, personally, a big deal for me . I became who i always wanted to be in college. Not to sound cliché, but I truly bloomed in college. I became confident in my appearance, lost weight and developed a personal style. I started experimenting with my hair and I got my ears pierced. I became who I was meant to be. I have a reputation I can be proud off. I am confident and that is what I always wanted.

High school was to cliquey for me. I was too much of an introvert at the time to grow there. My life now is a result of all the hardships I have lived through. When I was graduating high school at 17, I experienced more than anyone my age. That's my story, that is who I am now. My success, true friends and life at STAC is a giant slap in the face to everyone one who doubted me.

I have the right people in my life now and am where I was always supposed to be. I did like my high school even if it sounds like didn't. Certain aspects were great. High school was good towards the end because I began gaining some confidence and had great people in my life. I am so thankful for everyone who got me through my senior year. Even if we haven't spoken in three or four years I appreciate you all. I will never forget the people who made senior year great. Thank you to Sam and Bailey for hanging out with me and for our Dunkin' Donuts runs and fast food runs. Thank you to Brittany, Kaylee and Kelli as well for being so wonderful during that time. You guys all helped me become more confident. Thank you for making my senior year of high school a beautiful, though short, blissful experience. I couldn't have felt that way without all the great people in my life during that time. I thought I was so cool; I always had my coffee and iced teas with me and dressed like a belonged in a boyband - it was a wonderful phase in my life. I wouldn't have felt that way without the people who were in my life then. I still wish things could've been different. I wish I could have closed that chapter the way I wanted too. Things might not have fully panned out in that part of my life but I am still thankful for those moments. I didn't get the movie ending to high school because of that one event changed my high school journey during graduation week. That one thing derailed it all for me and towards the end changed my high school experience for me. To me, it marred the whole beautiful senior year I had. Despite all the problems, there was a silver lining for me: college. I also want to thank Mrs. Dowling Murphy, Ms. Gleeson, Mr. Doremus and Mrs Arietta, and all the other wonderful teachers I had you were the greatest teachers and got me through high school. Thank you too Ms. Maher for SADD club and being so great to me always. Thank you to my wonderful Principal Mrs. Amos I will never forget the kind words you said to my parents and I on graduation day.

After spending high school in the shadows, it feels good to be at the forefront at STAC, and to be someone important. The spotlight is on me now. The magnificent last four years at STAC were my reward for everything i went through from 13 to 17 during high school in my personal life and professionally.

I am thankful for high school and all the lessons it taught me. I miss the people who I no longer am in touch with. My high school journey wasn't perfect, and I thought my senior year of high school was my magnum opus my perfect moment but it was just a small fraction of what college was going to be for me and I finally got the life I deserved and what I wanted. Although I am completely over high school, part of me does wish things could've been different and high school could've been a dream come true like college has been. I only have one semester of college left and I can proudly say I have had one of the best college experiences. I have the best friends in the world now, Nicole and Jackie are my angels and the "Max and Caroline to my Han and Sophie" ("2 Broke Girls" reference for those who watched the show).

I am the ultimate underdog. I came from nothing and still managed to make my life better than people who had far more resources and opportunities growing up. I am proof that if you make your own opportunities. You can branch out, you can live an amazing life and do everything you once could not do. When I was growing up I never thought my life would be this amazing and fun. I am truly happy. I thought I knew happiness but I was wrong..this is real happiness now. I finally found where I belong. I am thankful to God everyday for giving me my life at STAC.