Being thrown into a new environment with no one you know can be extremely scary, especially when you are not someone who adjusts well with change of any kind.

In Kindergarten changing my schedule from Pre-K was tough, the little classroom off to the side of my elementary school was never scary until it was time to move on. The fact that I was still in the same school from the previous year did not matter whatsoever. In my mind, the back of the school was much different from the front, and the short half days became full ones which felt like an eternity.

I went to a small catholic school five minutes from my house, so it was difficult for others to understand my troubles with not being attached at the hip with my mother. Being an only child I had all her attention, just as she had mine.

Each day I went into the big green double doors kicking and screaming, despite the fact of being greeted by many friendly faces and fun activities. I was never a child who caused much fuss or trouble previously so this behavior coming from me was very upsetting to my mother, like it would be for any.

To this day, I can never understand why I was the only one who had such a hard time with the adjustment. Maybe my problem was due to the fact I fussed so much that I never noticed anyone else or I truly was a big baby. The first day trying to settle in was tough, which is usually expected when a person is introduced to a new experience or place but it lasted well beyond my first day, week, and month.

Every time the big red school bell rang I felt my heart sink into my stomach, which was usually followed by the current room mothers trying to calm me down with fuzzy stuffed animals, and funny jokes because they were close friends with my family. Each kindly tried different approaches to end the tears, which we still joke about today. The two distractions that helped the most were telling me my mom was waiting outside the gate for me the whole time, or the infamous pancake day.

Sadly, it was not long until I was unamused with them. My mother and her sister then took a crack at it and simultaneously decided to sign up as room mothers for cafeteria duty each day. When they weren't working at their actual jobs, they'd come in for lunch duty just to see me for a half hour, just to ease my panic.

They both would always bring me my favorites from either McDonald's or KFC to brighten my day, at this time that was the best of the best you could eat in the cafeteria and all the other children began talking to me from this which also helped me through my struggle.

These tactics were substantial until I was finished eating my kids meals. When it came time for them to leave again until dismissal, my crying started once more. Whenever my aunt was there she would always bring a personal sized tissue baggy in her pocket.

My Godmother knew me all too well and tried her hardest to cheer me up, despite she realizing her many thoughtful efforts were failing. One day she was wiping my tears and I remember her telling me finally to “suck it up” in the most thoughtful way she could. She reassured me by letting me know I would only be without her or my mother for another hour and a half, not being able to tell time it felt like forever.

Thankfully my aunt gave me a digital Spongebob watch which was passed down from my older cousin to me, so I could countdown my homecoming. This helped for the end of the day but the beginning was still rough. At this point, my mother could not bear to see the tears roll down my face, and the snot drip down my nose anymore. It was time for a change because hearing me say "I got that warm fuzzy feeling again," every car ride to the school building got old quickly.

Desperately, my mother bought me a book at our favorite spot to go and relax, Barnes & Noble. The book that changed everything for me at the time was called "The Kissing Hand," by Audrey Penn.

This short children's story was about a fearful raccoon named Chester, who was attending school in the forest for the first time. The baby raccoon also had similar feelings of nervousness and separation anxiety like me. Mrs. Raccoon tried everything to get him to feel better, similar to the efforts of my mom. Later on, she decided to use an old family secret called which was the concept of the hand kissing, to help ease Chester's fear. This give him the reassurance of her love any time his world felt a little scary.

Mrs. Raccoon would kiss the inside of Chester's hand and close it there to keep close to his heart, with that being said he felt a sense of comfort in knowing she was right there with him throughout the day. After reading this book it worked instantly, my mother would place a kiss in my hand every day before I walked onto the immense schoolyard and close it.

Even if I felt worry at times I'd look down at my hand and know she was there. From that moment on I grew and shared enjoyable moments throughout that school year with my best friends Krista and Mallory without any uneasiness. Looking back on it now, those were the simple times.

After Kindergarten was well behind me the rest of elementary school was a breeze, I loved everyone and everything about my school, finally felt at home there and was well adjusted. St. Agnes kept my days full of love and happiness, lots of friends and people who would become like my second family.

Throughout the St. Agnes annual carnival, the school field trips, the art classes where we'd interact with one another through paintings, and our gym class where us kids could just be kids. We found a mutual love between one another, the staff, the green and white uniform, and the run-down building. We only had about fourteen children in my grade including myself by the time third grade came around. Everyone knew each other and kept close relationships because that was all we had.

When I wasn't at my Karate classes I was with my class having the time of our lives with the littlest of resources. I remember finding out that St.Agnes would merge with St. Jude's to become Our Lady of Hope in the Fall of 2008.

This would be another big change for me, which I obviously had trouble with in my past. Although this time I was an older and wiser fourth grader. I became nervous and wished that we didn't have to merge everyday but I never cried about it because of the kissing hand I always knew my mother and I had to keep us connected when I was not at home.

That summer I focused on receiving my green belt in karate, multiplication skills, and enjoying time down the shore instead of worrying about what was to come in the fall. Sure, It wasn't easy having to enter in a new school, being nine years old and just starting fourth grade I walked up to my line labeled "Mrs. DeLug's class, 4A."

I didn't understand what "4A" meant until I met a girl who also had the name, Julia.

She had been at St. Jude's since Kindergarten so she was used to a bigger grade, she explained to me how they split each grade into two rooms because there were too many of us. This was new to me because we never had the size for two separate classrooms.

The year was full of new experiences and a newfound love for school. My teacher Mrs. DeLug was one of my favorites because of the impact she made on me. I remember her telling me "in the years to come to have the courage to make yourself available to new ideas and opportunities."

After that, my love for my friends, faith, and family grew as well as my mindset. My perspective on the world began to change for the better, finally. Flashing forward to eighth period on my last day of eighth grade, I was excited.

The class of 2013 would be remembered at my middle school, Our Lady of Hope forever. We were a fairly large class even for my school but each one of us was known as an individual at Hope which is what I hoped for in choosing Paul VI High School. Putting on that "Eagles" hoodie was the first step to my next major transition and from that moment on I grew.

Each piece of advice will always be taken with me as I embark on many new experiences in my future despite the little bumps in the road here and there within my early childhood years. Whether it be from the book, the kind words of my aunt, or Mrs. DeLug my roots are deep and surrounding which will help me in any endeavors I decide on in my future.

Maybe I’ll never be “good” at change but I have finally come to the realization that I am not meant to be. I am constantly growing, we all are. Every experience that I have ever had was meant to happen and teach me a life lesson and with that being said, I am learning to embrace them instead of fearing them.