I honestly laugh at my past self. As a quiet freshman, I never knew the type of person I would become today. I was shy and insecure then.

The first day of high school, I got home from a long day of new teachers, introductions, and seeing my friends from middle school. It was chaotic, but the most excited I had been. I wanted to remember certain moments from that day, so when I got home, I pulled out a journal.
It had never been touched or scribbled on and the pages had never been bent.

I sat down and wrote my first entry when I was 14, I’m 18 now. Three journals later, the pages are detailed with my time in high school including stories of drivers training, getting ready for my freshman homecoming, and growing new connections during my senior retreat experience. Halfway into my entries, I noticed a shift. A time where I had struggled I wrote so intensely that I look back and
remembered how those moments felt. I’m proud of myself because I overcame a time where I felt hopeless and lost. It’s crazy to look back and see how I have changed from those times in my life.

An entry about a crush on a boy turned into an entry about my life goals and future plans. Once complaining about my little brother turned into admitting he was my best friend. It really is true how you learn from your mistakes. The best part is seeing how you grow through your own
writing and memories. I’m thankful my old self decided to start these journals.

When I was a freshman, I was more critical of myself than anyone else could have been, and I’ve realized now, through writing, that I shouldn’t take myself too seriously. Without them, I would have forgotten what it took to get me where I am today.