What Is Growth? Hey Siri, why is it hard for me to breathe and stay calm when talking to new people? Why can't I make friends without help? And why is it so hard for me to speak up when I have the correct answer in class? From the beginning of my high school years, my anxiety has affected me as a person. Going from seeing people through a screen to an uneasy transition to in-person learning wasn’t easy for everybody– especially me. It may have been because of getting bullied in elementary; I didn’t notice it back then because I thought they were laughing with me, not at me. Growth varies from person to person, it may show in one person whilst, in others, you have no idea they’ve changed as a person. The beginning of freshman year started on Zoom, which was not as nerve-wracking as going in person. My grades were great and I felt great about myself… that was up until we transitioned to in-person classes. I walked into the school with my nerves high because of the new environment. I wore hoodies to cover myself because of my insecurities, and I kept my head down so that no one could see me; this was the origin of my anxiety. My mind was all over the place and I couldn't think straight, I was sure my thoughts were going to doom over me. Junior year is when I started to grow into a new person. It was a hard transition from having anxiety and panic attacks, but I did it. I enrolled in a nursing class at Saginaw Career Complex (SCC) to pursue my Pediatric Nursing career; this experience involved many new people to socialize with and also helped me gain my CNA license. In nursing class, I had the ability to do clinicals which provided experience that is needed for my future career. I was able to be accepted into the National Honor Society (NHS) which required good grades and characteristics such as integrity and leadership. Junior year helped me finalize my dream career and what was needed for a successful future. In junior year, I was able to finally get a job which allowed me to experience what working in a social environment felt like. I gained confidence to speak to new people which is a key component to my growth. During the summer transitioning to my senior year, I was able to enroll in a driving class which made it easier for me to get my driver's license. I’ve always heard, “Senior year is the most important of your high school years, don't slack off.” I am proud to say I stood tall all three years leading up to senior year. I was able to maintain a 3.9 GPA and earned honor roll all four years. To grow is to develop, to develop is to learn, and to learn is to be a leader even when you feel like you’re falling into a never-ending abyss. In life, it is vital to experience failure, because without it you won't have the ability to grow to your full potential. My version of success is to never give up, even when you feel you can't keep going. Giving up is just giving in to that failure that you experienced, in that case, you won't experience that growth you were hoping for. Keep in mind that you are human and we all make mistakes, those mistakes make us who we are, we can all grow together.

What Is Growth? Hey Siri, why is it hard for me to breathe and stay calm when talking to new people? Why can't I make friends without help? And why is it so hard for me to speak up when I have the correct answer in class? From the beginning of my high school years, my anxiety has affected me as a person. Going from seeing people through a screen to an uneasy transition to in-person learning wasn’t easy for everybody– especially me. It may have been because of getting bullied in elementary; I didn’t notice it back then because I thought they were laughing with me, not at me. Growth varies from person to person, it may show in one person whilst in others, you have no idea they’ve changed as a person. The beginning of freshman year started on Zoom, which was not as nerve-wracking as going in person. My grades were great and I felt great about myself… that was up until we transitioned to in-person classes. I walked into the school with my nerves high because of the new environment. I wore hoodies to cover myself because of my insecurities, and I kept my head down so that no one could see me; this was the origin of my anxiety. My mind was all over the place and I couldn't think straight, I was sure my thoughts were going to doom over me. Junior year is when I started to grow into a new person. It was a hard transition from having anxiety and panic attacks, but I did it. I enrolled in a nursing class at Saginaw Career Complex (SCC) to pursue my Pediatric Nursing career; this experience involved many new people to socialize with and also helped me gain my CNA license. In nursing class, I had the ability to do clinicals which provided experience that is needed for my future career. I was able to be accepted into the National Honor Society (NHS) which required good grades and characteristics such as integrity and leadership. Junior year helped me finalize my dream career and what was needed for a successful future. To grow is to develop, to develop is to learn, and to learn is to be a leader even when you feel like you’re falling into a never-ending abyss. In life, it is vital to experience failure, because without it you won't have the ability to grow to your full potential. My version of success is to never give up, even when you feel you can't keep going. Giving up is just giving in to that failure that you experienced, in that case, you won't experience that growth you were hoping for. Keep in mind that you are human and we all make mistakes, those mistakes make us who we are, we can all grow together.