Assignment 21- Ava Nielsen

Though I'm sure I've faced many obstacles in my lifetime, I can attribute quite a few to my experiences in middle school. After having lived overseas for most of my youth, coming back to the U.S. in fifth grade was admittedly quite different from before. Even despite the struggle of moving, I persisted and made friends at my elementary school. However, the bigger struggle came after, in my transition to middle school. While I was originally districted to Jessie Clark Middle School, we moved across town, meaning I had to go to Tates Creek middle instead. In the following months, most of the friendships I had finally developed ended or grew more strained. I was forced to get through middle school practically alone, as I was also very shy and had trouble making friends. While I did make a few friends along the way, I was pretty awkward so I usually kept to myself. After having experienced this, I'm all the more grateful to have good friends now. I learned that it's important to get out of your comfort zone and make friends and that forming new relationships has a big effect on your experience at school.