Be optimistic.

Halfway through my junior year, my family moved across the state to a new town. It was a small town, so everybody there already knew each other and had grown up together. I lost hope of finding friends.

But over time, I did make friends. The friends I have now are some of my best friends. The point of this story is that there is always something better ahead, even if you can't see it.

Sometimes it just takes time, and sometimes we have to make that better thing happen. But we should be optimistic about the future because there are so many good things in this life, in spite of the bad.

It's okay to be alone.

After moving and starting school again, I found that I had a lot of free time to fill. Being alone was definitely not my first choice. But instead of sulking about my situation, I decided to make the best of it. I picked up new hobbies and I set new goals for myself.

I spent time with myself doing the things I loved, and learning new things to love. I became my own best friend, and it not only gave me things to do but it boosted my confidence and self-awareness. I learned that I don't need to be surrounded by people to be happy.

Be open to new experiences.

In my junior year, I didn't do any extracurriculars. And I was alone. I decided that for my senior year I wanted to do something different. So I took a chance and joined the marching band.

I was scared at first because I had no idea how to play the flute. But I learned. And I loved it. With my success in the band, I became less nervous about saying yes to new things. Since then, I've practiced saying yes to opportunities that come my way, and I've gained nothing but good experiences and self-confidence.

It's okay to stop doing things you don't like.

During my senior year, I joined the cross country team. I enjoy running, but after about a week of practices, I began to feel off. I realized that I no longer had any time to spend with people I loved or do things I liked, and I didn't really feel like a part of the team.

Though I wanted to quit, I felt that it would make me feel like a loser. But my mom supported me, and I mustered up the courage to tell the coach I was done. After it was done, I was relieved.

I was also relieved that I didn't feel like a loser. Don't do things that make you unhappy. Put your time towards things that you actually enjoy, and your time won't be wasted.

Make time for things you love.

Whether it be family, friends, hobbies, or sports, we are all passionate about something. Sometimes we overbook ourselves and find that we don't have time to do things we like.

But in my experiences, I've learned that what I do is up to me. Nobody can make you do anything except you. Don't be afraid to re-arrange your schedule. If you don't have time, make time. The people and the things that you love are important, and it's up to you to decide your priorities.