By Savanah Huffman
When the topic of stress isAs the days fly past and weeks turn into months, then months into years, I begin to realize that not only do the seasons change, but so do I. Sure, I am only 18 and still have so much more to see, experience, and learn, but even in these short 18 years, I have already done so much of just that. I’ve seen multiple states, experienced a wide range of emotions, and encountered moments and people that have shaped who I am. I’ve learned things the hard way, learned how to adjust when life doesn’t go as planned, and I’ve gained lessons through 12 years of school now, lessons that range from simple math to understanding connections of the world. Now, as I look back on those 12 years of school and the six years before that, I realize I’ve been growing up faster than I ever expected.
In my middle school years I was so focused on fitting in. I wanted to dress the same, talk the same, and do the same things as the “popular kids.” In the sixth grade, I became a manager on the varsity girls basketball team, which at the time felt like the coolest experience ever. I got to look up to and learn from a group of older girls. There was one girl in particular who took me under her wing. She was always kind to me, no matter the circumstance. I don’t quite remember how we became close, but all that truly mattered was how she changed my perspective in my life, you don’t have to be the same as everyone else in order to fit in. She wasn’t like every other girl, yet she was cooler than the ones all trying to be the same.
When high school began, it’s not like I had exactly figured out how to stop comparing myself to others but I’ve learned that being different is okay, and in fact even good. It wasn’t really until my senior year that I realized that I don’t want to fit in with the popular crowd. I like experimenting with my style and finding new ways to express myself. I don’t need to fit in to be happy. I also have been discovering who my real friends truly are. High school has been such a huge part of my life so far, especially when it comes to growing and figuring out who I am.
I feel like a big part of growing up is learning that it’s okay to make mistakes. A big part of my childhood, sadly, involved learning how to fix mistakes and grow from them. My biggest mistake so far was letting people walk all over me. I was such a people pleaser until I realized the one person I truly needed to make happy is myself. Thanks to a good friend I once lost due to one of the biggest mistakes of my life, but then gained back through admitting that what I did was wrong, I learned that a person can be selfish in the most unselfish way. It’s okay to put yourself first sometimes but you can do that and still care for others around you. She has truly inspired me to be the best version of myself, and she is one of those parts of my life that has changed me, which change is a major part of growing up.
In conclusion, growing up can be hard, but it’s the most important part of someone’s life. As people grow, they adapt to the experiences and people around them. Due to the people and events that have happened around me, I have become the woman I am today. The point I wanted to make in this article is that going through struggles and hardships is good, they teach you how to adapt and learn. What truly matters is how you handle the difficult moments. I hope the older generations will read this and look back on times when they felt the same as me. I hope young adults my age can relate to this and I hope the younger kids can at least learn something. If you take anything out of this, let it be this; in order to grow, you have to break a little. That’s part of what makes life interesting.
Savanah Huffman is a Fillmore Central High School student, one of 10 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 27th year.
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