During my lifetime, there have been good friends, mentors, and strongly influential people. Though all of them are extremely unique, there was one who really changed my life, whether I wanted her to or not. She is, by far, the most unique person I have ever met, and her appearance and personality only add to her originality.

Looking at her, I would never have thought that she would be the one to change my life. She is tall, slim, and pretty, though her many piercings and ever-changing hairstyles are a sign of insecurity. She is 16 years old, but never really acts mature. Because she wears no makeup, she appears pale and sickly, and at some times, these features make her appear overall emaciated.

Her personality is definitely one of the most unique features about her. At first, she appears quiet and reserved, but the more I got to know her, the more I saw the curiosity and craziness inside. She can rarely focus on anything, and often, in class, I see her with multiple note books spread across her desk, moving from subject to subject because of her lack of focus. At the same time, though, she is a great listener, and is not afraid to speak her mind when she is misunderstood. She pushes herself mentally and spiritually, often testing the truth of her beliefs.

Though it may not seem like it, she is a huge sports fanatic. She plays soccer, lacrosse, and loves Physical Training in NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps). Though she claims she isn't good at sports, I feel they have really opened her eyes, and helped her see her true potential.

Because of her ability to push herself, she can easily step outside of her comfort zone to complete a task. One of the best ways she shows this is through writing. She writes a lot, with many short stories and poems published, her favorite being Flashes, published in the American Anthology of Young Poets. Often, though, she will follow a prompt (the worst way to write, in her opinion- being told what to do), or take on a proposed challenge by her peers and fellow authors. She writes a lot on philosophical, far-fetched ideas, and these are the ones that I enjoy reading the most. Though she claims the writing is hard, she seems able to write many things with great ease.
She also expresses herself through photography. She is an amateur nature photographer, and has shown me how much prettier God’s creations are than man’s. Whether writing or photographing, she does what she does for a reason: to be heard.

Though all these things make her unique, she has helped me the most because of her experiences. She has dealt with bullying, anxiety, and depression, even hospitalizations for attempted suicide. She has struggled with self-harm and eating disorders for a very long time, and yet, through all of her difficulties, she finds ways to help others.

Through helping others, she has learned to help herself. I am always glad to hear that she is recovering, and because of that, she is helping me recover from similar problems. By working together, we both realized the need to help each other help ourselves, and that is why I say she is the most influential, unique person I know.

Though she may seem quiet and oblivious to the world around her, this young girl has truly changed my life for the better. She wants nothing more than to help others, and works to change their lives in many ways. She has most definitely saved mine on multiple occasions.
I am very happy to say that this girl is me.