Assignment 24- Olivia Dixon

I guess I deserve a big fat "I told you so" from everyone who warned me that junior year would be a tough one. I walked in with confidence and met my demise within a few weeks...that's right, web homework. I might have even shed more tears over physics than last year's chemistry lab, and that was brutal. However, I don't want my memories of junior year to encompass only the stress of lab reports, practice logs, and Socratic seminars. I want to remember junior year for the abundance of change that came with it. In the future, I hope "11th grade" isn't referred to as "the toughest year of school high," but instead, the time I made decisions based on my own interests. I risked disappointing my parents and severing friendships by quitting volleyball, but because of the extra free time, I was able to be a part of "Shrek," which allowed me to meet a ton of awesome people while doing something I love. Encouraged by my youth pastor, I attended an adult growth group which I found to be awkward and uninteresting. I had no clue that a couple within the group would agree to be my academy mentors. At the beginning of the year, I desperately missed my brother and sister who were away at college. Only later did I realize their absence gave my younger brother and I the chance to bond. I realize this blog post has shifted some, but I think it's important to not only do what makes you happy, but embrace change and recognize all the good things that come as a result. I thank my junior year for this realization and I hope to apply this mindset to my college search next year.