Today is August 8, 2016, the end to my first week of my senior year in high school. I had my first last year of high school and in less than 30 weeks my last day as an Amador student. As cliché as it sounds, it couldn't have gone by quicker; in the moment, days feel like years and one problem seems as though one you'll never be able to overcome, but looking back years later and seeing yourself grow is shocking yet so motivating. If you can surpass the most challenging test, the ugliest rumor, or the longest day, what can't you do? High school leaves everyone with a different taste in their mouth: sweet, sour, or somewhere in between.
Although I have had my fair share of obstacles, mishaps, and moments of pure frustration, I have to say all of those pieces of high school made me so much stronger and have built me into the person I am today(which I happen to be quite fond of). As crazy as it sounds, I tell my siblings that high school is a turning point in your life because it not only is key to your future but key in bringing out your true self. Freshman year: I was elated with the idea of going to high school with some of my then closest friends, but nothing is permanent and people drift apart, not to mention being on the bottom of the high school food chain. Seeing some of the people who held a special place in your heart go in different directions than you is like a quick punch to the stomach; I had moments alone where I could only count on myself, where I felt solitude, and where I learned how to branch out.
As strange as it sounds, losing friends is very helpful in supporting people skills. I put myself out there and gained the confidence in myself that helped push me through the year and that I rely on today. Loneliness forces boldness: what do you have to lose? Sophomore year: Another year of surprises with friend groups and still having to focus further on my grades, but a key year in learning that few friends show more value than an abundant. High school is so short and it would be a waste of your time trying to alter yourself to try and fit in with people who you may never see again. Junior year: To me, junior year is where I changed the most. I slid aside the drama, the social status, and the hierarchy of teenagers and saw myself. I saw a girl who had a choice to make: I could be consumed with what's going on on the sidelines or I could focus on my game, my future. I took AP classes and found the sweet taste of success; in some of the hardest classes I had taken, I found the best teachers on campus who changed my way of thinking.
My AP English teacher, Mr. Thayer, showed me my love for literature and writing and gave me the confidence to start this blog here. My US history teacher, Mrs. Battilega, reminded me of my own intelligence and motivated me to embrace what I knew and explore what potential I could have. So many other teachers and factors lead to my most successful year in high school, and I am so grateful for each and every one. Nothing will play out as you anticipated it to or how you had hoped it would, BUT that's exactly how it should. The best can come out of the worst situations as long as you have the open-mindedness to see beyond the fog and have the clarity to distinguish the sidelines from the game. As I embark on my last year of high school and into the next chapter, I look back and am proud of what I have done for myself and the future I have created. Here's to a year of lasts and more mistakes that I can't wait to make.
