We all have a time in our life in which change occurs. The change can be good. The change can be bad. The change can be a choice. The change can be forced upon an individual. No matter what, we, humans on Earth, all face a change in our lives whether we like it or not. I’ve gone through many changes in my life. The biggest change I went through was partly choice and partly my parents best interest to keep things simple and more easy on them. The change was, to go to a different middle then the other children in my elementary school, Carpenter.
My final year at Carpenter, I was a big fifth grade, oldest in the tiny school with other small children. We were the big fifth graders above the underclassmen. I was about eleven when the time came. I wanted to go to Lincoln Middle School instead of Emerson Middle School for my own reasons. My parents wanted me to go to Lincoln because it was much closer and I didn’t need to ride a bus everyday to and from school. Emerson and Lincoln were on the total opposite sides of town. They are both great, large schools. The only difference the two middle schools have is, the students attending them. Because of these factors, the choice seemed pretty simple, but I wouldn’t know any of the other kids in my grade or at least half of them.
Now, let me back track a little bit.

Kindergarten through second grade I went to Washington Elementary school. I was a very happy, young child. In school, I was pretty quiet and good. The teachers complained a bit on the whole messy desk situations, but all in all it went well. I never caused any problems with the teachers and I was very shy. I kept everything to myself and never complained about anything going on around me. Once you “graduate” from Washington, you transfer over to Lincoln Middle School. Lincoln is right across the street. The student body is made up of kids who went to Washington, which includes me, and the rest is from Roosevelt.  In the winter of second grade, I moved to another house. The move wasn’t hard on me or my family. We were simply moving across town.  Since Carpenter Elementary school was a three minute walk, my parents decide to transfer me to Carpenter instead of Washington. It wasn’t too big of a deal for me because I didn’t understand what was going on and I could still be in contact with the friends I had at Washington. I was still in Park Ridge, where I was born and raised. If you were compare Washington to Carpenter, all you would notice is the size difference. The academics and what the two schools offers are the same. Also, in elementary school, teachers are very nice and the students are as well for the most part.

I repeat, for the most part...

At first, Carpenter seemed like a great school to go too. It was much smaller, so it wasn’t overwhelming. I wasn’t the only new kid in third grade which made the attention less on me. I didn’t mind it at all. As the years went on, I had some problems growing up. I always felt not as good as the other people around me. I wasn’t as skinny or pretty and so on. This feeling started in fourth grade and only got worse. I wanted to be friends with the more popular kids as well, but they wouldn’t let me. My shyness went against me. Instead of really speaking up, I just let it all happen. I mean, things happen for a reason. Isn’t that what all adults and parents say to calm children down? I lost a good girl friend too because the popular girl she was friends with didn’t like me. The popular girl didn’t know me, therefore didn’t like me. I know that sounds childish, but we were children. Even a boy used to call me fat. Whenever I saw him outside of school, he would call me fat. Body image became a concern I had at a very young age. Another downfall to this all was, all of Carpenter Elementary kids go to Emerson not Lincoln. Lincoln is where I would be able to see some old friends. Emerson just had all the bullies and mean people. Then, the greatest thing happened to me.  I was told I was moving to Lincoln Middle School instead of Emerson Middle School. I was beyond happy like a child in a candy store. I wasn’t just happy to get away from the bullies, but also to get to see some old friends.  So I killed two birds with one stone. I got away from the mean kids and back with my old friends. When I did start to go to Lincoln, some of my old friends were happy to see me. From what I knew, none of the kids at Washington didn’t like me. Some didn’t know me, but they didn’t dislike me right away. Instead, they gave me a chance and that’s all I wanted.

Let me get into more detail about how the Lincoln kids were to me versus those mean Emerson kids.

On the first day of Lincoln Middle school, I found some of my old friends I’ve known since first and second grade. It made me feel great to be remembered after three years went by. The children who came from Roosevelt were very nice too. While I didn’t know them, meeting them and being friends with them was easy. Some of my close friends in high school, I first met in middle school no matter the grade level. I can’t say that is the same for kids I’ve known since third grade which is kind of sad. My friends I have now in high school came from Roosevelt! Imagine that! These other kids gave me a chance and I accepted it. They gave me a chance by talking to me and hanging out with me.

This change in school and the way I was treated really helped create the person I am today. When I have to talk to the once kids from Carpenter I think, why? Why were you so mean to me? Why did you think you were so better than me without knowing me? Do you really think you could hurt me and put me down because if anything, I’m very strong now and I can take it all. What did you think you were achieving than? Some of the mean girls that were in my elementary school, are still rude now. I don’t want to mention any names at all, whether the girl or boy was nice or not to save the further discussion, but these people made me so much stronger. Being called names when I was young, makes me that much more strong today. I thank all those mean kids back then and now for showing me what not to treat other people like. It was a valuable lesson. Things do happen for a reason. It may seem bad, but it may turn out good in the end.

Last, but not least, what was your biggest change in life? How did it affect you in today’s world?