When I was going into high school, I didn’t know what to expect.  I was still very shy and scared to get out of my comfort zone coming out of middle school and so I hoped high school would change everything.  The first day of school was absolutely crazy, as there was so many people that it was hard to take everything in.

Luckily, I had the guidance of my older sister, Ashley, at the time, who showed me the in’s and out’s of the school and her personal experiences with different classes, teachers, etc.  This really helped me out because it gave me so much more insight as to how the school operates and what I could do to better myself for the future. As time went on, I got involved with tennis, where I met a lot of wonderful people and it helped me break out of my shell. Some of my favorite high school memories were going to the tennis matches and playing my heart out, whether I won or lost.  High school was very scary for sure, as many of my friends were going to different schools and I thought I might not never see them again. However, I still had a good group of friends that supported each other, who didn’t have many problems whatsoever. It was because of these friends that I started to build more self-confidence and became the person I am today.

       As sophomore year began, more tensions within my friend group arose.  One of my best friends moved to Connecticut at the end of freshmen year and I never saw her again.  Numerous fights began within my friend group, which led to some friends no longer communicating with each other completely.  At the end of the year, another close friend left school and went to college. This was, without a doubt, one of the most challenging years of my life, in terms of relationships.  I had never had any troubles with friends before, so to deal with this all in the span of a year was just too much to bear, especially for a teenager. Over time, I’ve learned to move past these faults and have learned to accept them, rather than be ashamed of them.  Throughout the year, however, I started to take a more active role in school and the community. I attended meetings for the clubs I was passionate about at my school and I volunteered at my church in order to grow closer to my faith.  My tennis season was the best I ever had as I had won almost every match I played, which showed me that hard work and determination ultimately pays off, even in times of hardship. I even interviewed to be a Canyon Ambassador to help the freshmen the next year, and was ecstatic to know I passed.  So, my experiences just goes to show that even in the most upsetting of times, a person never knows what life may throw at them.

      As junior year began, I felt an immense amount of pressure to have good grades due to the competitiveness of colleges.  So I began to took AP classes, two at the time, and was overwhelmed with how stressful it would be. I was so unprepared for all the assignments that were given to me, that it was hard to find a balance between school, extracurricular activities, and athletics.  In addition, I had to study for the SATs, a test that measures your college readiness and academic success. However, I was only morestressed out because I had no idea of where I wanted to go to school, what my major could be, or if I was even qualified to be accepted in a four-year university.  As time progressed, I learned how to deal with these stresses and not put somuch pressure on myself to be successful. I was able to become Publicist of NEGU and UNICEF, which taught me to be more responsible and organized in my everyday life. Being a Canyon Ambassador allowed me to discover great communication skills I never knew I had and only me to break out of my comfort zone one day at a time.  I was also a youth leader at church, meaning I helped teach a group of freshmen about their faith, which made me more in touch with my faith as well. There was so much going on throughout the year that I almost thought I couldn’thandle it all.  However, if there’s anything I’ve learned throughout these years of high school, it is that balance is needed in order to promote satisfaction in one’s life.

     I honestly couldn’t wait to be a senior and go to college as well.  No more AP tests, no more SATs, no more summer assignments. I knew that in college I would probably have to do just the same amount of work, if not more, but I didn’t want to have to think about that until the time came around.  I really wanted to use senior year as a way to seize opportunities before it was too late. As a result, I was able to become Vice President of UNICEF, which has taught me the importance of becoming a well-spoken leader. I also joined journalism and photography this year, two classes which challenge me to be as creative as possible.  In addition, I made some so many new friends along the way, who have only encouraged me to be the best person I can be. However, I didn’t know how much college would play as a crucial role this year. It’s almost everything people want to talk about. In addition, I still had a vague idea of what the schools I wanted to go to and my major, which made this process even more challenging.  So, when I applied to colleges, I was rather nervous as I didn’t think I was the most qualified student they were looking for. I applied to a some colleges in California with a major in communications, as I wanted to do something with journalism in the future. The time to hear back from the colleges was probably one of the most stressful times in high school, as i felt it determined my future.  When I heard back, I was devastated to find out that I had gotten rejected from almost every college I applied to. It felt like everything Iworked hard for in high school was for nothing and I didn’t want to let others I knew be disappointed in me.

However, as time progressed, I realized that the rejections were not my fault and even though it hurts, it is the best for me. In fact, I plan to go to a community college for two years to major in communications and then transfer to a four-year university afterwards.  If there’s anything I have learned throughout high school, it is that it is never easy.  High school is like a rollercoaster, where a person has days of adrenaline and joy where they are on top of the world.  Then, there are days that will knock a person down and make him or her feel like giving up. I for one have been on this “rollercoaster” and know that it is never easy, but it always gets better.  

Throughout high school, I admire how much I was able change from this shy freshmen to an ambitious senior who never stops at getting what he wants. I admire that I was able to seize new opportunities as they presented themselves and not shy away from them.  I admire that through all my troubles, I have always found a way to see a light at the end of the tunnel and become the person I am today. I am proud of who I am.