I had seen this place dozens of times, walked this blue-locker lined hallway since I was
young, yet it felt completely new. Unlike those former visits, spent trailing at my mother’s side in
empty hallways, I was now experiencing the hall at its rush hour, congested with teenagers, and
their noise and chaos. As I wandered my way through the hall towards my new homeroom, I
looked around at dozens of faces. They all had a story to tell, a story for me to soon discover as
my time here progressed. Trailing behind my only friend at the time, I realized that my usual tendency to retreat in large crowds had never made an appearance. I was surprised, to say the least, that as I swam upstream in the rapids of a brand new high school, the only thing I was sure of was that I would fit in.

Junior year is infamous for stress and chaos, so deciding whether or not to transfer to a new high school was an intimidating and difficult decision. However, immediately following that brief moment of insecurity, I knew the best choice was to go through with it. I became determined to find room for myself in a world where nearly everyone already settled down in their place. I took advantage of every opportunity I had to make friends, built relationships, and become a part of the school’s culture. I found my former shy self opening up, and I conversed with anyone who would listen. I also was surprised to find that as I got a little sick as the winter approached, I was desperate to make it to school each and every day. I had managed to find friends, become confident in my school work, and find pleasure in the freedoms I had during my school days.

The comfort I felt from my peers and the faith my teachers had in me helped me to maintain consistent grades as I transitioned to this new school. The academics at my previous school were significantly inferior to this new institution, so more was required of me to earn the grades to which I was accustomed. My classes felt like more of a challenge than at my old school, but they were challenges I was ready to take on. I wanted to prove that I could do it; I could start at a new school during one of the hardest years, knowing no one, and still make my mark. From a single friend that first day of school, I branched out to countless others. By the year’s conclusion, I had adopted my own catch phrase: “Go hard or go home”. My transfer to my new high school has encouraged me in my journey to take this world by storm, and to
make use of every chance I have.