Growing up we start as this basic mold, we like the stereotypical things that we are supposed to like at that age. Trucks, mud, horses, dolls, ice cream, playgrounds.  As we have gotten older our likes and voices have started to change. Some of us haven’t yet found our voice or what makes us independent from the rest.

For the last four years I have grown and changed. I remember my first day at Presque Isle High School; I was just like every nervous freshman. I was late to about every one of my classes and couldn’t even find the bathrooms on my own. I was freshly out of my emo phase and at a loss for an identity.

These years have been the most challenging years of my life, so far. However, through all of the trials and errors I have started to find my voice and confidence. Something I have learned is that it’s okay not to know who we are; we’re not suppose to have this figured out. Even adults sometimes don’t have it figured out.

Advice to underclassmen: go through every possible phase there is. How are we supposed to know who we are if we haven’t started trying things? I knew quickly that I didn’t like sports or hanging out with a ton of people I barely knew at a party every weekend. I knew slowly that writing was a way for me to cope. Through Journalism I found a way to express my voice and give other students a chance to use theirs.

People tend to eyeroll at kids for their likes and interests, especially if they’re temporary phases (and let’s face it, most are). Don’t listen to them. Society in general tries to shut down voices. It tries to crush whatever individuality each person has. That’s also something I have had to learn on my own. It took years to learn that was okay.

For the rest of your high school career keep growing, changing, and learning more about yourself. Listen to the really weird music and watch movies that are kinda bad but you love them anyway. Play that sport or act in that play. You’ll never know who you are if you don’t try to figure it out.