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Jaquelyn Salinas

Professor Batty

English 28

9 October 2017

My high school lesson

Everyday I hear people say that life is all about taking risks, exploring new things and

making changes. But what no one says is how hard and scary it is to do such things when you

start speculating about every chance of failure and as a consequence of that we judge before even

trying. Back then, I used to do the same. I never liked new things and new environments were

my weakness because Im a very shy person. I would always isolate myself; I was scared of

taking the risk of showing myself to the world. Now Im not like that anymore because in one

day the world taught me not to be like that. It taught me that taking risks is good sometimes, that

being afraid of failing will always stop me from trying, and that all things are worth a try even if

they dont come out the way you wanted. Now I understand why people say life is all about it

because if you dont take risks, explore and make changes you wont actually live since you

wont know whats out there for you. My first day in high school was the day when I actually

started to live, let me tell you why.

Wake up nia (child)! my mom said. I turned the other way covering my head with my

blanket. She walked out of the room. Ten minutes later she comes in again and starts yelling

levantate! Vas a llegar tarde en tu primer dia (wake up or youre going to be late on your first

day). I dont care I replied. Soon, I realized that if I wanted to do something to bother my

parents I had to get there and plan everything out. So I got out of bed, took a shower and headed

to the car where my mom was waiting for me with her surprised but happy face. I frowned all the
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way to school because I was angry at my parents, at my life because I didnt want to go to that

high school. I wanted to be with my friends and my brother. I didnt want to start a new journey

in a place where I didnt know anyone; not even the place itself. I never went to the campus tour

that they offered before classes started because I never thought of attending there. After ten

minutes of being occupied in my thoughts I felt how the car stops and heard my mom say wake

up! Ya llegamos! (were here). I rolled my eyes as I decided to grab my life by the horns and

with a shaky breath and hesitant fingers, I opened the door , grabbed my backpack and walked

out. Bye mama my mom said as I heard the door closing. As I was entering I couldnt help it

but look around. Everything seemed so gleaming with the walls full of posters of different

colors, and the school itself had a blue and white structure, with different designs of huskies

everywhere. I realized then that it was the school mascot. As I walked to the office, I saw that

every spot had a different quote. So, I walked as I read them when all of a sudden I feel someone

bump into me while saying ouch! Why you f#$%&*% did that!? almost as loud as the school

announcements speaker which was saying welcome students! Freshmen welcome to the home

of the huskies, we hope that you enjoy . She continues saying, Stupid freshmen Im talking

to you!. I shaked my head and came back to her, sorry what were you saying I said. She

replies, Grrr!. She grabbed her books from the floor and left. I chuckled in my mind. I walked

into the counseling office and asked for my schedule. Its outside the cafeteria an old lady said

with an indignant face. I just walked out rolling my eyes. As I was on my way, I saw this sign

that caught my attention, I stopped to take a picture of it when I felt someone someone opening

the door smacking my phone. I frowned as I picked my phone up when I heard a charming voice

say are you okay?, Im sorry I didnt see you. I stood up as quickly as I could, mumbling Im

invisible, dont worry. I walked to my first class, which was ESL 1 with Mrs. Patrono, a really
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nice argentinian lady. I opened the door everyone stared at me all confused, which was normal I

guessed since I was like twenty minutes late. I walked in, noticed the class was full. All eyes

were on me at that point; I didnt care because all I could think about was the voice from the boy

I didnt even see how he looked like because I was too shy to look up. First and second period

took place in the same classroom. As the bell for nutrition break went on, I walked to the

cafeteria and I got in the line to get food. Where this other lady screamed at me because I didnt

fill out my lunch application. Bring it tomorrow or you wont eat! she said. I will I replied

as I walked out.

As the day went on, my thoughts of doing something bad had flew away because my

mind was too busy thinking of the guy until my fourth period. I heard the voice again. Quickly, I

looked at the guy he was definitely cute. He was very tall, skinny, he had light brown eyes,

brown hair and a really cute smile. Every time he would laugh, his dimples would show. He was

telling jokes with his friends. Then, the girl I bumped into in the morning walked in and run to

him to kiss him, letting everyone know that she owned him. The class was ending and I didnt

understand what the teacher had explained. I didnt know if it was because I was focused on

Arnold and his girlfriend or because Im was just not good at math. And yes! That was his name.

I found out when the teacher called roll before leaving. I learned his evil girlfriends name too: it

was Jocelyn. Yucks!.

My fifth period passed, there I met a new girl called Sandra, she was very nice and

funny. We looked at each others schedule and noticed that we had our sixth period together

which was P.E. so we walked together to the class. We got to the lockers room, we put all our

stuff in the lockers and left to the class. When we came back we both noticed our phones werent

there, someone had stole them. I started crying, I couldnt hold it anymore, I was so
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disappointed, angry, sad so many things, and my negative thoughts came back. I started blaming

my parents for everything, for not letting me go with my friends to the other high school. I

knew something like this was gonna happen in this stupid school I said while crying. Its okay,

jackie its just a phone she said trying to make me feel better. But it wasnt just a phone to me; I

had worked all summer to get it. Ding ding ding..!. Thats the bell to go home, do you wanna

go to the dean's office and see if they can help? she asked. Lets go I said as I tried to stop

sobbing. We went there and they told us that theyve found our phones, that they caught the

person who stole them. We both started crying of happiness; we felt relieved. Then we both

thanked the deans, left school and went to have some ice cream, to celebrate.

Overall, my first day in high school was a roller coaster of emotions. It was definitely a

bad day but at the same time, one of the best days of my life. Because I learned that sometimes

you just need to get out of your comfort zone to explore everything around you and find out that

things are not as bad as you thought they were. I also learned that if youre just as coward a I was

for not taking the risk to talk to Arnold and defend myself when Jocelyn and the other ladies

screamed at me youll be full of what ifs as I am. I didnt want to explore what it felt to be in a

school where I didnt know anyone because I was full of negativeness and that negativeness is

what stopped me from accepting the changes and trying to have fun. So my suggestion to you is

to always take risks, challenge yourself with changes, and explore. Dont be afraid of failing

because when you fail you learn.