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Finding Focus
One of the toughest times of my life was during the first few months as a freshman in high school. Having come from a small grammar school and having none of my friends attending the same high school, I started high school alone. I was not a social person: I only knew a few friends from grammar school so it was difficult meeting anyone new. I struggled to adjust to the rigor of high school honors classes, and with the addition of having no friends, I just drifted through the first few months of school. I felt that I did not belong there-I did not belong anywhere.
After recieving my first progress report for the quarter I realized that my grades greatly suffered. I realized that all that time I spent just getting by in school was what was holding my grades back. I pushed my negative attitude aside and put all my focus into my academics. I paid attention in class and took copious notes on each subject. I spent hours relentlessly preparing for every test and project so I would excel at each. I even met some new friends during some group projects who I am still great friends with to this day. By the end of the semester, my grades had significantly improved and I had more confidence in myself and in my future success in high school.
With this newfound confidence I was able to branch out and try new things. I decided to join a few clubs such as Fencing and Technology which helped me meet new people and finally find a place for myself in high school. By applying all my time and effort into things I viewed as important, I was able to shake off all of the negative feelings I had at the beginning of the school year.
By finding something to focus on when my life had none, I was able to pull myself out of my negative outlook and help me find my footing. I know now that the amount of time and effort I put into something is the amount of success I will ultimately achieve. Starting high school had been a life changing experience which will help guide the through future struggles in my life.
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