My family and I used to be close when i was a child, i always recieved good grades throughout elementary school and i tries my hardest to make my parents proud. Then
an unfortunate circumstance we call 'middle school' occured, i decided to go into what basically amount to honors classes and it started out alright. I had previously
ended last year (6th grade) with around half A's and half B's and my parents were happy; my first report card in 7th grade was differen't though, it wasn't an A/B
report card it was a B average report card, with a new blemish i hadn't ever had before, a D. My parents attempted to stop the possibility of me thinking this would be
an exceptable grade by punishing me, i didn't take it well and decided that "hey i got an idea, im going to do what i want and never talk to my parents or ask for their
help, that will show them im mature and can handle myself", it turns out that my idea went about as bad as possible, i fumbled through the rest of my middle school
career with most likely a C average.

Then highschool came around, freshmen year i put in alot more effort and my grade were at a 3.2 gpa. Next year my gpa took a hit
and fell to a 2.5, I was immature at the end of sohpmore year and just made excuses, I wasn't sure what had really happened but i now know, I had an extremely fun year
in 8th grade and had a great time socially, i wanted to get better grades so i could hangout with my friends more. Freshman year i had a very hard time socially though,
i was childish and so were my used to be friends, i don't want to get into the details but i got hurt emotionally and it killed my drive to get good grades, i didn't
see any reason to get good grades other then to be able to have more freedome anyways. This "oh my life is so hard boo hoo" apathetic attitude continued till the middle
of junior year, something happened, something really significant; i got home from school and my report card had already gotten to my house via mail, my grades weren't
good and my dad broke down in tears crying, he said "Jacob, your mother invests so much in you, (emotionally) you always lie to her and tell her you will get better
grades, you always tell her you will do this and that and improve! Your mother and I are having a tough time in our marriage right now and she is always upset, i just
know it, please give her something to be happy for, please get goood grades, make your mother happy son she loves you so much she just wants you to succeed. You have
to do better rather grades mean anything or not to you they do to colleges, you dont want to be my age and do construction for your friends because you need some extra
money, it's no life you want, please son, just get better grades."

This was the tipping point i decided that if i wanted something i needed to give it my all, my grades all steadily improved from then on out, so has every other aspect
of my life. There is only one thing i truely believe is always true when it comes to getting what you want, if you aren't chasing something with all your drive, you
shouldn't expect to catch it.