I was young and dumb. I did not have any direction or advice regarding my finances, and I thought my money was solely for spending money. I spent as I pleased on different items I thought I needed such as a new Xbox, an ATV, and a variety of video games. The result of these purchases was a loss of equity along with temporary pleasure, which is something that should be warned against for people of all ages. To begin with, my name is Ray Weber, and I am a senior at Plymouth Christian Academy. Growing up, I lived in many different states until I finally found a home here in Michigan. Throughout the years, I made many uneducated decisions, the worst of them being with the money I made. As I accumulated a good amount of money - at least a good amount for a child - I bought things that I thought I needed, not thinking about my future. Although purchases such as an ATV at the age of eleven may seem minuscule and unimportant when I think back to all the money I could have saved, had I not had the urge to purchase nice things, I wish I would have done things differently. More recently, I have been under the stress of a pending college payment. Along with this stress comes financial tension, as I am trying to save as much money as possible. I am currently taking a personal finance class and going through a program where I am learning about how money works and the importance of not going into debt. This has inspired me to not go into debt at any point in my life, and if I am going to stick with that promise, I need to pay for college in cash. This is very difficult, as I do not have the money right now, and my parents cannot give me a great amount of assistance. When I think about this college payment, I cannot help but think of all the unnecessary purchases I have made in the past, and even in recent months. I imagine how much money I would have saved up if I had not spent it on the purchases that only gave me temporary joy. However, there is nothing I can do to change the past, so I am working on making my future more productive and being smarter with my finances. I also think it is important to spread awareness to my fellow teenagers across the country to be smarter with their finances because college debt is a real thing and impacts so many people's lives in a negative way.

Imagine you are a senior in high school, and you are the captain of the soccer team. You have put so many hours into perfecting your craft, and all of a sudden, you are taken away from the game you love. This was my experience just a few months ago, as I suffered a kick to the face and, consequently, a serious concussion. However, I did and have done my best to make the most out of my circumstances and have looked at this roadblock as an opportunity to grow. This is only one of many examples of adversity that I have had to overcome on my journey through life. My name is Ray Weber, and I am a senior in high school. I am a Christian and love my friends and family. I also play basketball and soccer and enjoy most sports. My life began a struggle, as I had double pneumonia as a young child, and had to take breathing treatment for five years. The fact that I am still here is a blessing, and I have done my best to make the most out of every day God has given me. Following the 6 moves my family has made to 4 different states, I found a home here in Michigan, but it has not been easy. I had to say many goodbyes to many friends and family, and the move from North Carolina to Michigan took a lot to get used to. However, I am very grateful I ended up here, as I have found stable relationships, and have had a positive experience at my school. I would say the most difficult adversity I have had to overcome is twofold. First, my relationship with my family and friends throughout high school. I went through a very rough spot in my life from tenth to eleventh grade: I shut everyone out and dove into a depression. I did not realize I was in this valley until I came out on the other side, and I believe that is a big struggle with teenagers in our culture. Although I wish I would never have gotten involved in addiction, and wish that period had never had to happen, I am glad it did, as I was able to learn from the mistakes I had made. I was able to open up about my struggles at a camp I attended, and ever since - although I do struggle from time to time as everyone does - I have been able to repair my relationships with my parents and friends. I am much more motivated to work for my future, and I have been able to look for more opportunities to help others instead of being so focused on my struggles. Second, the concussion I suffered during a soccer game this past fall. As I mentioned above, I was very invested in my soccer team and career, as I was blessed with an athletic ability specifically in soccer and basketball. Soccer is my favorite sport, and this being my senior year, I wanted to win it all. However, towards the end of the season, I was kicked in the face playing in our annual under-the-lights game and knocked out (literally and figuratively) for the rest of the season. I was distraught as I was told my fate by the doctor, and it took me a long time to come to terms with reality. However, I did my best to use that time to be a leader to my teammates and be a representative of how one should act when faced with adversity.