Personal Narrative: Freshman Year Of High School

Junior year. My junior year I realized things about myself that I hadn’t previously known. Things I’ve never done before and things people thought I couldn’t do. Situations I thought I wouldn’t be in and there I was. Junior year, I did it.

The hill that life is, only gets steeper in your teen years. In high school anxiety, depression, stress, and fear kick into high gear. It only gets tougher. As the years pass you keep climbing that hill until you reach the peak. For me, I have yet to reach that peak. In 2015 I started freshman year, good grades flooded my report card making me think that school wasn't really that bad. Sophomore year came too soon and hit me with a wave of assignments that were hard to swim through, Don't get me wrong, I made it through the thick water but with a lesser GPA than the year before. Junior year is now kicking in, “Welcome to the hardest year of your high school lives” was what we were greeted with from the now seniors. Thinking, I tell myself,

The start of high school is a very exciting time for anybody, it means growing up, and having freedoms. Of course with freedoms, there comes consequences. As a freshmen at the time, I was not fully invested in school. Homework and studying was never a priority for me at the time, I thought copying other people’s work would let me glide through school with no worries. I had a busy schedule filled with school, and then swim practice right after, so by time the weekend came the last thing I wanted to be doing was school work. I was young and not thinking about the future, I’d rather be out with friends than doing any type of assignments. But as time went on I matured and realized that in order to do well in school I had to be dedicated. Unfortunately

Leading into my sophomore year of high school, band was the center of my life. Providing social acceptance and a sense of purpose, I could always count on the fine art to get me through the drudgery of high school. Everything seemed to effortlessly go right. I naively believed my desires would always be provided for, as I was somehow the special (albeit, shy) exception. With this idea, I felt invincible going into my first serious audition. Unknown to me, this simple, six hour event, provided the stage on which my perspective would completely change.

After graduation, I was an au pair in Nancy, France for a year before returning in the early fall of 2017. I am continuing my gap period to reapply for school while working full time for Hampton by Hilton.

In the fourth grade, having transferred to my second school after a stay at a shelter, I was asked to introduce myself to the class and tell them a fact about myself. I looked nervously into the sea of new faces and said, “Hi, I’m Aleigh Crowder and I’m nomadic.” This introduction was met shortly with laughter that my new teacher quickly ceased.

Growing up, I was always known by my middle school teachers as that “scatter brained” girl with the low B/C average. After being tested for ADHD by multiple doctors, they all came to the conclusion that I just wasn’t trying hard enough. Entering my freshman year of high school, my determination to succeed in school was higher than ever. I stayed up late every night, went after school for help, and yet I still ended up with a low B average. After all of my hard work, I was still a failure through my and my parents eyes. Throughout sophomore year, my self-esteem in school was lower than ever, but my determination was still pushing me. The end of sophomore year, I hit rock bottom. Again after all of my hard work, I ended with a B average, and

Freshman year for me was like a baby carrying a boulder. 9th grade was definitely difficult, but it was an exciting ride. I have learned so much, especially from my teachers, some were tough to handle, but they taught me so much. In my freshman class we all were free and independent and we thought we can do anything but in reality it wasn't so easy. Days of listening to lectures from my teachers were really helpful. It was hard to handle some of my teachers, but at the end of the year each one taught me something. The things I was taught about this year was to not slack off, to care about my education, how I can balance my social life with my education, stress, time management, and so much more . This year I actually started caring about my future and my goals, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to accomplish them; getting into a good university, receive an education, follow my goals. Not only did school teach me about my education, but it taught me about my life and my future.

The yellow sunshine was beaming through the semi clean window to the off white wall, the crows were squawking singing their morning song. The recycled boxes were half packed and the room almost looked brand new, Aside from the fact that there were little blue tack stains all around the room from those old collectable space posters. There I was standing on a wooden stool barely able to reach the back of my wardrobe with my short arms. It was always a disadvantage for me tall guy that had long legs but extremely short arms it was sort of the reason why I was so embarrassed to join the high school basketball team back then. Who could imagine that today would be my last day standing here in this old house that my mum rented, going off the collage.

Throughout middle school and my first two years of high school I approached my education with a very negative attitude, I possess a 3.079 GPA, and 1030 SAT (which I am re taking) for my school this is below average. My first two years of high school I never did homework, studied, or even really got involved. This is one of my biggest regrets. During my first two years of school I was getting Bs, and Cs in classes I could have easily been receiving As in if I tried harder. It was not until my junior year when it hit me that college was quickly approaching and schools I dreamed of going to were mostly likely unrealistic. Rather than dwelling on my poor educational decisions I decided to take action, and try harder, and study longer. This has

I am Aislinn, a practically ordinary high school student trying my best to make it to my future goals. My life has been a series of obstacles that I have overcome to get to where I am today. I am a strong independent human being with the passion and skills to succeed.

The most difficult decision I have had to make over the past two years is deciding whether or not to continue running Cross Country my senior year of high school. I have been running cross country ever since 7th grade. Initially I decided to run cross country because my dad encouraged me to run with him when I was younger. My feelings for cross country have changed through the years and that is what brought me to the point where I had to decide if this sport was for me.

Before I started high school, I thought I wouldn’t change much as a person. Now, I know that isn’t the case anymore because I developed anxiety during my first year of high school. Since then, I have to deal with it everyday. It’s not as bad as it once was but I think it has definitely changed me.

I was told that junior year would be one of my most stressful years in high school; I was expecting it to be academically, but I couldn’t have imagined being struck by such heaviness this year; it was nothing like my little sister sitting on me to wake me up. A cloud appeared just before 11th grade started, and everything started feeling darker and slower. What was worse, having no motivation or finding no joy in my old hobbies and interests, I don’t know. But either way, the way I was affected academically put me in a place I’ve never been in before, my grades this year are the lowest they’ve been in years. Which, in turn, made me feel even lower. Knowing what’s wrong, and not having the impetus to fix it, while feeling like you’re the worst

During my first year of high school, I hope to improve many things about my work habits, how I react to the stress of higher grade levels, and my confidence. One very important tool in high school, is the ability to balance your activities. I want to participate in clubs, earn good grades, and still have time to just relax. The mistake I made last year was spending to much time on the homework for one class and having to rush through the rest of my assignments. Balance is the key to effectively achieving anything. I also want to improve the mindset I have when I enter the classroom. During moments of school related stress I have a habit of freaking out and not thinking clearly. This year I want to practice staying calm, so I can appropriately