It was mid-year, I’d say around November when I would have to face the consequences of a life time. I was off on my own a lot more and having fun. More opportunities struck and I guess I’d say I took advantage of my freedom. One day my friends asked me if I would sneak out and go to their house at about 2 o’clock. Little did I know that the police love to lurk around at night. I was walking into a trap. The next thing you know, two cops drive up to me and yell, “STOP RIGHT THERE”. I panicked, It was the first time this had happened, so I ran. I didn’t get far until they caught up. Once they had hold of me, they took me back home. My parents were furious. They grounded me for what seemed to me a lifetime. I learned never to do such a thing again. I will take an extra minute next time to think hard about my future decisions.

Growing up, I see everyone wants to be noticed. Whether it’s what you wear or something you do, people are always trying to get “approval” from one another. Always worried about how they look. In my opinion I think everyone should just be themselves. One Christmas, my grandmother knitted me a ridiculous looking sweater. She was so excited to give it to me. When she did, I could tell she put a lot of work into it. So I promised my self I’d wear it a couple times at least. So the next day at school, I wore it. Everyone was giving me these dirty looks. Some people made smart remarks, some people would laugh. I thought about taking it off, put as all the people would laugh, I thought of my grandmother. I was wearing this for her. I held my chin high and said to myself, “I don’t care what others think”.

Everyday, we wake up dreading the day ahead, go to school, then come home, eat, go to bed, and wake up the next day and do it all again. Everything I do, think or say, reflects on my future outlook. It’s all about the big picture. It’s almost like we’re trapped in a bubble and are programmed like robots to be perfect, to do what whatever your told to do, no space what so ever. I say let loose, don’t worry about the next day. Act like everyday is your last. Last year everybody was in my face, ”DO THIS, DO THAT”. I didn’t like it. Yes I know school work is important, but it doesn’t mean you can’t make the most out of a day. It doesn’t mean you can’t have some sense of power or control. So I would have “fun”. I would wake up with nothing planned, but just know that today would be even better than the one before. Me and my friends would do things others wouldn’t. Yeah we might have got in trouble sometimes, but we were just “living life day by day”

There are millions of opportunities for each and everyone of us. You just need to apply yourself. Don’t waste your time doing senseless acts. Be smart, learn about something uselful. You want to be a professional. Usually every year there’s a time when I just get really lazy and don’t feel like doing anything. My mind is somewhere else, in a fog it seems like. I think about nonsense and usually starring at the clock waiting for class to end. I never believe people when they say it’s such a big deal. But once I finally realized it I buckled up and got my stuff straight. Now I am on top of my game and have no problem doing it on my own.

Being self-reliant doesn’t mean you have to do every little thing without any help what so ever. Most of the people you see everyday didn’t do it on their own. Doing graded assignments and projects throughout my whole school career, I’ve always wanted to take it into my own hands. I would always do it on my own and sometimes would not do the overall assignment right. Once I allowed my parents and classmates to help or guide me through certain things, I was having more and more success. Receiving advice and help from others can go a long way. So don’t hold back. If you need help, it’s not the hardest thing to ask for.