To the teachers that never gave up on me,

Thank you for all you two did. Mrs. Gilbert and Ms. Pugh are two names that will stick with me for life. The two of you were my most influential teachers that taught me beyond the subject of English, and I must thank you for all you both did. Thank you for never giving it to me easy. Because of you guys, I had to learn the hard way on how to become a better student. I had to learn that not everything would be handed on a silver platter, and no one cared about my sob stories that were obviously a fib. You guys made me a better person in and out of the classroom. Here are some things to start off with:

Never sugarcoating anything.
When I showed up to class sobbing about why I didn’t finish my paper or some assignment, what did you two say? “Figure it out.” Sure, teachers always say “In college this would never be accepted,” but high school is different. High school is still supposed to feel like our hand is being held. The two of you didn’t see it like that. You prepped me for college and the real world. You taught me that tough love is the only way to get through things.

For Being Real.
You guys were perfect teachers in my eyes but always made sure I understood you weren’t always perfect. You guys told me that you weren’t always the best students. You didn’t get straight A’s, and it was okay to fail. In life, I wouldn’t be able to be perfect at everything, but as long as I tried my hardest, that’s all that mattered.

For helping me out of the classroom.
Life as a teenager sucks. It’s a confusing time, and you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. And because of that, you two were like my counselors. I was able to vent to you, go to you with my problems, and when I felt guilty about things, I was able to tell you both honestly. The best part was that I was never judged. You talked to me as if I were your peers, and never scolded me for my mistakes, but rather taught me how to turn them around and learn from them. I was taught never to dwell and to move on from my mistakes and be a better person because of them.

For teaching me to love literature.
English was by far my most hated subject. I found it boring. I dreaded going to that class, and I put minimum effort into it. But you guys related media, which is a favorite topic of mine, to whatever we were learning. You were both so into pop culture and were able to relate it to literature. All of a sudden overnight, English became my best subject, and you both influenced me to participate in your AP classes. I learned how to articulate my words, which has helped me immensely now three years later. Becoming a writer for multiple companies has all been thanks to the two of you. I’m also always in charge of writing the family Christmas cards, so I’m not sure whether to thank you two for that or to curse you two for that one.

For teaching me my worth.

I always doubted myself when I wasn’t up to par, but my expectations of everything were that they had to be perfect. Can you blame me, though? The society we live in now teaches us that we have to have looks that will land us on Vogue, have a resume that beats out every student in America, have grades that are Harvard potential, and be better than everyone else in all aspects. So by the time I was applying for colleges, I wasn’t ready. I had nowhere near the grades that would land me in any four-year university. I didn’t look like a perfect Barbie, like in the magazines, and I certainly wasn’t going anywhere in life. But of course, we are our biggest critics. You both taught me that I could do anything I wanted. All I had to do was set my mind and go for it, and I did. And because of the two of you, I’m at the perfect four-year university for me. I’m majoring in exactly what I am passionate about; I am involved just as much as I was in high school, and I’m on the path to success. All of this was achieved with the encouragement from the two of you. Thank you for teaching me that no man can define me and to listen to myself. Because of that, I’ve become a much happier person.

For being hard on me.
You guys were not easy teachers. You had high expectations, and I can’t necessarily say that I always reached them. But what I can say is that you were the first influential in my life to challenge me and not give it to me easy. Because the two of you were hard on me, you both taught me not to be a pushover and to have a backbone. To this day, I’m not afraid to tell it like it is all while still being respectful.

For letting me speak my mind.
Sure, I said things that were out of line during class discussions or everyday conversations, but you guys taught me as long as I had great reasoning for my words and showed respect towards others, I could say how I felt about something even if it was opposing the majorities’ opinion.

There’s so much more I’m forgetting to thank you two for, and although I don’t get to see the two of you every day in a classroom setting, you both continue to influence me every day. In all I do with my public speaking and my writing, I continue using the skills you both gave me. You both have influenced me more than you realize and have given me so much in the four short years I had you as teachers. Now that I’m older, I am confident in calling you both friends and can say you have influenced me in my decision to eventually give back to high school students and hopefully, influence them as much as the two of you influenced me. If I can touch even one student’s life as you have both touched mine, I think I will feel complete. Thank you both for everything. Keep on doing what you’re doing.