I drag my feet as 11:40 approaches and I know it’s time to go to lunch. My first day has not gone swimmingly and I’m already feeling reserved, the last place I want to be is a noisy lunchroom. I had always been a quiet kid, and perfer to let conversations come to me rather than have to engage in them myself. There was just something uncomfortable to me about inserting myself into another persons discussion. However, my worst case scenario just got a lot worse. I had figured I would sit alone, probably looking pathetic but not having to deal with the social interaction similar to that I’ve been seeing all day. “Hey, who are you,” “Who’s she?” High school girls really do have a way of making you feel like the talk of the town, and in my case this wasn’t a positive. However I wouldn’t be able to avoid this interaction because while I scan the tables for a reserved location, I find no such luck. I decide to suck it up and sit with a group of girls, my anxiety is at an all time high but little did I know these would be some of my best friends in the years to come. I have been the new kid twice in my high school career. My first time, I came from the rival school and was fairly reserved. My first day in that lunch room forced me out of my shell and I was able to see so many positive benefits of being involved. This newfound encouragement led me to open myself to not only new conversations but also taking on new school engagements. I turned into a social butterfly, being apart of the yearbook committee, student council, HOSA, the cheer team, and later National Honors Society. This experience carried me into my second move. A new school was built ten minutes from my house and I was rezoned. People from all around my area were being moved around so we all became the new kids together. Through the strength from my first move I was able to work to encourage a “bought in” attitude. From pep rallies to gameday, to Nation Honors Society inductions our school felt like home as we all embraced the newness instead of shying away from it. I’m now in the running for class president, our NHS secretary, and our Health Occupational Students of America(HOSA) chapters president. I don’t think any of this would have been possible had it not been for that day in the lunchroom when I had to go make connections and talk to others. Through my involvement in HOSA early on I decided to go into medical feild one day, a decision I would likely still be unsure of if not for my forced by friend’s involvement. I wouldn’t be the person I am today had I never been the new kid. My moving schools gave me confidence and reassure ment in my personality and skill level and for that I am forever grateful, even if it all began in a noisy lunchroom.