About two years ago, I moved from the small town of Port St. Lucie, Florida, to the bigger, busier city of Duluth, Georgia. And I hated it. I had lived in Florida for almost my entire life, and had never moved to a different city before, so the thought of moving to another state and leaving my entire life behind terrified me. I couldn't imagine leaving the town, the people or the community I loved so much. And when I did move, it was just as bad as I had imagined, if not worse.
For the majority of the year, I kept my mouth shut through every class, sat alone at lunch every day and had no friends.
If you're anything like me, you're also probably introverted, shy, probably also find it hard to put yourself out there and make new friends. If so, this letter is for you. As much as we wish we were, we aren't the outgoing, friendly popular kids who can just show up one day and dominate a school. We have to work to fit in and become comfortable in our new environments.
Two years after the big move, I think I can finally say that I'm happy and content with moving here. I never could have imagined myself saying that back when I was first told we were leaving. I thought I would hate it and regret it for my entire life. And I did hate it at first. But that was entirely my fault.
You see, I didn't realize it at the time, but the main reason that I was so miserable here in Georgia was because of myself. I was so upset about the fact that I had to go, that I didn't allow myself to get out of my shell and get comfortable in my new school. I didn't give myself the chance to become happy because I had already convinced myself that I couldn't be happy here.
I learned a lot in the time after I moved, and if you can in any way relate to how I was feeling at the beginning of my journey, let me share what I learned with you: don't be like me.
Don't close yourself off and convince yourself that your life would be better if you never moved. Because if you tell yourself that, it'll become true. So, new kid, here are some words of advice. While you're allowed to let your emotions out and feel bad for a little bit, don't wallow in self-pity. Pick yourself back up. Have the right attitude. Go into your new school with a smile and a positive outlook. The only way you can be happy is if you let yourself be.
Another mistake I always made was waiting for other people to approach me. And when no one did, I pitied myself for it. But of course no one would approach me; I enrolled during sophomore year when everyone already had their group of friends. Don't wait for the opportunity to come to you; get out there and find it. Talk to people, join clubs, go to after school games, join people's tables at lunch. Even if it seems daunting now, you won't regret it later during the year. Trust me.
If there was anything I could tell my past self back when I had first moved, it would be to get out of my comfort zone now, because I would thank myself later, to take initiative to make friends and integrate myself into the school and to let myself be happy and enjoy life. I had always dwelled in the past with thoughts like "What if I had never moved? There's no doubt I would've been happier." But all that does it hold you back from enjoying and living in the moment.
Tell yourself that this was the right choice, even if it doesn't seem to be now.Tell yourself you'll be happy and have experiences and opportunities that you wouldn't have had before, because it's thoughts like these that will keep you strong. The only thing that can hold you back is you, but at the same time, the only thing that can let you fly is you. So, new kid, I hope you not only handle your move better than I did, but I hope you make it the best experience it can be and flourish in your new life.
