Growing Pains

I feel that when you’re going through adolescence you feel like you have to fit in with everyone, and change who you really are.  I know in elementary school, when I first moved to Gainesville, I wanted to make friends right away, and hang out with all the “cool” kids.  In order to do this I felt that I needed to change really my whole personality, when I really didn’t.  I would sometimes do really stupid things to try and impress kids so that I could fit in.  Yes, I did embarrass myself many times, but in the end I did get what I wanted, to make friends right away, but there was a much easier way.  If I had just been myself, instead of doing stupid things to impress people.

                Then moving on into middle school, I felt that I was really pressured by my parents to make good grades.  That’s why in sixth grade, ended up not playing any sports.  I ended up doing worse in school than I did when I played sports.  So, in seventh grade I played a sport for every season, and I ended up doing much better in school.  I also ended up enjoying school a lot more.  I feel that playing sports helps me not to get lazy at home and with having to have certain grades to play the sport, pushed me to do well in school.

                Now in high school, not only am I pressured by my parents to get good grades, but myself as well.  I realize that I need to earn good grades, in order to be able to go to a good college.  I put a lot of pressure on myself at times to make good grades, but at times I feel like I get to distracted with other things outside of school, such as my friends, sports, etc.  My parents now, unlike in middle school help motivate me in getting good grades, and as same in middle school, getting good grades allows me to keep playing the sports I enjoy.  Now that I am getting my license soon, that’s just another reason to motivate me to get good grades so that I can keep my car, and getting good grades helps cut down on the price of insurance.