In life, one must adapt to numerous changes as he transitions from one period in his life to another. When my family decided to move to a different town in 2005, I did not feel any different. Perhaps I was too young. When I graduated from middle and started freshman year, I did not feel any different. Perhaps it is because I had the same friends. And every year when I blow out my candles on my birthday, I do not feel or look any older. My whole life, I have been spoiled with a loving family, beautiful memories, and the best friends anyone could ever ask for. Having them always by my side, though I did have difficult times where I was forced to grow and adapt to grim circumstances, I was not prepared for my transition from sophomore to junior year. Next week will mark my fifth month as a junior and I could not be more excited. Though I am counting down the days to the last day of my junior year, I am thankful to have had this indescribable once-in-a-lifetime experience where I developed critical working habits, made new friendships, discarded unnecessary habits and, due to the constraint of time, realized who and what is important to me. I have learned to accept challenges, and that no matter what hinders me, I have a responsibility to put forth all my energy and best effort.

I think it so ironic that when I was younger, strangers would gasp at how much older I looked compared to my actual age, and relatives would call to ask if I was adjusting well to high school but now, I only hear remarks about how much younger I look than my actual age and have received no calls about my transition from grade ten to grade eleven though I consider it my greatest transition yet.