I am not a singer. I am not an artist. I am not a dancer. As much as I would like to be those things I am not. I am nearly tone deaf, I draw as a four year old would, and I have little to no rhythm. I was lacking a creative outlet for myself when I felt I needed one so very badly. That's when I decided to try out writing.

It was eighth grade and we had to pick electives. It was my first time every truly getting to pick a class I wanted to take. I saw creative writing on the list of electives to choose from and I said, "why not, let's give it a try." Next thing I know, I became passionate about writing and truly found something I loved to do that was creative. I loved creating characters and plot lines in my head and then typing them out and seeing the finished product. I felt proud of myself for getting words on to a page and seeing what I was able to produced.

As my years in high school progressed, and everything around me was changing, there was one constant, and that was creative writing. I took it every year and every semester I could and found the class that gave me peace and serenity through all the terrifying and confusing obstacles of high school classes. But, because of my passion for creative writing and how often I found myself typing stories on my computer, I then became a better writer in other fields. I was on the school newspaper, writing articles monthly, and my papers for my English classes and all other subjects were becoming stronger.

On top of my pure joy and happiness when I wrote a piece I loved, the environment in the creative writing department at my high school was a place where I felt most comfortable and where I felt I can be my true self. That is all thanks to my incredible creative writing teacher. If it wasn't for him, creative writing would just be something I enjoy doing, but because of him, it's something I love and strive to be better at. I know every person, in all those classes of his that I took, feels the same way. He is the type of teacher who gives you honest and constructive feedback so you can better your work and become the best writer you can be. He cared about all of his students. He will always be one of the best teachers I will ever have.

But when I graduated high school and moved on to college, I didn't have those creative writing classes every other day. I didn't have the classes at all and it felt like a part of myself was missing. As I struggled through my first year of college, I know a creative writing class would have been so beneficial to my well being.

Being creative is so important to each individual. If it is singing and joining a choir or even a glee club, or if it is painting and taking all the art classes and clubs a school offers, it doesn't matter. So, when I lost my creative outlet, I lost something that made me who I am, and something that relaxed me and gave me joy.

I am by no means saying that you need a class or club to do what you love. There is always time for you to do what you love on your own time. But, for me, when it came to creative writing, having a group of people surround me who are interested in the same thing and that can help me become better at what I love doing was necessary. So now, as I am about to enter a new school, I have made a promise to myself to seek those people out. I will join clubs that have anything to do with writing, I will take creative writing classes, and I will use my creative outlet again to make me a happier and more well rounded person.