It was a nice summer day as the ceremony of my middle school graduation began, my principal called my name, ā€œChristine Liā€. I get up with nervousness and excitement, hands shaking to cross the stage with a whole crowd of eyes staring at me. I shake my principalā€™s hand as he handed me my diploma. I scan through the crowd from left to right looking for my parents as I raised my diploma to show them. With joy and a big smile of their faces, my parents start clapping and cheering for me. Now, a new chapter, a new beginning, oh I was so excited for high school and to meet new people.
As excited as I was for high school, not all things turned out great for me. I wanted to make new friends which I have but not all those new friends Iā€™ve made been good influences. For instance, I was sitting down in class listening to my teacher, as I see a text message saying if I want to cut after 6th period. I sat there thinking about how I probably shouldnā€™t cut because I end 10th period, and how Iā€™m going to miss out the lessons Iā€™m suppose to learn in class. The clock ticking, and I sat there thinking if I should or shouldnā€™t cut class with my friends. As the bell rang for the next class, I walk down the stairs and to my left, there it was. The exist to my school building and how tempting it was for me to simply just cut class. I hear another notification and looked down at my phone saying ā€œjust come, itā€™s just one day,ā€ I look at the exit and started walking towards it and just like that Iā€™m outside the school building with my friends. Ā I felt so guilty for skipping class but I thought to myself one day wouldnā€™t hurt. But oh how wrong I was, skipping for one day became an addiction and I literally had no motivation to go a full day of school ever again. This all started in freshmen year and it kept continuing until Covid started which was mid way into my sophomore year.
Since Covid started,Ā obviously we are all at home and I couldnā€™t cut class no more because there was no point in that. By this time I have already failed two whole semesters and was behind on my credits for my grade. I was so devastated, worrying about not graduating on time and being held back. On the other hand, everything was online and I took full advantage of this time period and actually joined all the zooms, did all the homework assignments and eventually after a year of online courses, I have caught up to my grade. My teacher compliments me on how she never seen a student make up this many credits and how proud she was of me.