Changing schools…. This was something completely new to me and I wasn’t sure what to expect. During my freshman year at West High I struggled a lot. I would often receive bad scores on my tests, do poorly on the assignments, and ultimately there was a low letter grade on my report card. As the year went on I figured that if I just tried harder maybe I would be able to do better, but this was not the case. I continued to struggle all the way through my 9th grade year. The idea of changing schools came up, and I wasn’t so fond of the idea. Thinking of leaving all my friends, the ones I had grown up with, and knowing absolutely no one at a new school. This was all difficult for me to digest, but I tried to look at the big picture. This was my chance to have a fresh start with school and show that I was capable of doing better. After weeks of consideration and numerous conversations, my parents and I agreed that the move to RHP was going to happen.
Fast forward a couple months. It’s the first day of school. Walking in through the gates I am nervous not knowing what to expect with an empty feeling in my gut. I could feel butterflies in my stomach but out of nowhere I scouted an old friend and suddenly felt relaxed. I was introduced to his friend group and suddenly felt welcome. As the day went on this hospitality continued and my worries disappeared. As I walked into new classrooms I kept feeling a positive atmosphere. All my teachers were engaging and actually interested in helping me, which made me comfortable to ask for assistance with my work.
Weeks and months followed and I was able to excel in my classes. I loved this new version of me and everyone else around me loved it too. Starting fresh is something you should never be afraid of.
A quote I will always think about is, “It's never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” F. Scott Fitzgerald
This quote continues to be important to me as I’m going off to college soon. I will start over, I’ll start a new journey. As a first generation college student the idea of a new beginning is a big concept. My father immigrated to America from Lebanon when he was 19 because of the war that was raging in the 1980's. It was hard for him moving here, not speaking English and starting from scratch. Along with my father, my mother also immigrated to America from Thailand when she was 18 seeking a better opportunity due to the poor living conditions in her village. Both leaving their families behind in hope of having a better future.
When I go to college, not only will I have a new beginning for myself but also my family. I have been fortunate enough to have this opportunity my parents never had and I want to make the most out of it. I know I can do this.