 Something that saved me in high school was my friendships with other people. During my freshman year of high school, I found it rather easy to make friends with other people because I came into ninth grade with my three best friends from middle school that were charismatic and friendly with everyone they interacted with. Throughout my educational career I heavily depended on my charismatic best friends to make friends with people so they could introduce them to me later on. Because of this, I met all kinds of people with different personalities, hobbies and interests. My friends encouraged me to join cheerleading, which was where I found out that dancing wasn’t really my passion. I only stayed in cheerleading because I had nothing else to do with my time after school. But after I got used to getting out of my comfort zone, I began to socialize with my teammates and for the first time I have made friends on my own accord. This act of stepping outside my comfort zone helped me the rest of my high school career. For the first time in forever I actually felt like getting up and going to school even when my friends weren’t there and because of this attitude 180 I was able to raise my grades and make new connections with my new social skills.
Friendships can really save a person. I am glad it saved you because friends provide and create a secure space where you can openly discuss your difficulties. Without having friends, you can quickly fall into loneliness and sadness, friends can pull you out of it and remind you that you are loved and heard. The friends that helped you get into cheerleading will always be friends for life. I am also proud of u for stepping out of your comfort zone. It is hard for some people to do because that is where they feel safe and the most comfortable, but by stepping out of your comfort zone you are being introduced to a whole new world. When you trade consistency for something new, you escape your sense of comfort and realize that the only way to truly be happy with yourself is to give in to the beauty of the unknown and continue to do so. As Albus Dumbledore once said (from Harry Potter)”Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Just like your friends were that light for you.
Friendships have a big influence for anyone to act a certain or be something even though there not. I admire the way you saw that dancing was your passion and that you wasn’t afraid to step out your comfort zone. After cheerleading were you still close with your three best friends or did you guys develop different interest? That’s cool that you were able to find yourself, I was also in a very similar situation when I was a freshmen in high school. I have a twin brother and would always think we had to have the same friend group until a couple years later we started developing different friend groups.
Sorry I forgot how to edit comments. I meant to say, “certain way”, “wasn’t your passion”
Kayla: NOtice that you are only TELLING me. Instead you need to SHOW me.
Is there an event or a scene from your memory of a school friendship that saved you?
Did joining cheerleading and finding friends on that cheerleading squad save you? Can you create a scene out of this:
My friends encouraged me to join cheerleading, which was where I found out that dancing wasn’t really my passion. I only stayed in cheerleading because I had nothing else to do with my time after school. But after I got used to getting out of my comfort zone, I began to socialize with my teammates and for the first time I have made friends on my own accord.