Taylor B., Oakwood High School
Keys
I have been surviving for 15 years. That will never change, but what I do to achieve survival will. As a toddler, I played, ate, and slept. That was my key to happiness. In 2019 when I turned 13, things started to change. What I used to do to thrive no longer worked. My key no longer fit. I didn’t prepare for tests, my friends overruled my family, I stayed up at late hours completing homework, I fought with my brother, and I neglected to take care of myself. My parents tried to slip in advice when I seemed to be non-adversarial. “You need to block out time for yourself,” or “Managing your time is crucial to avoid stress,” those phrases I heard constantly, but the tattooed words in my brain didn’t sink in until almost 2 years later. Finally, I found my new key-- time management and self-care.
Perfecting my new key took time though. I had to learn exactly how to manage my time whether forgetting to practice on time, studying for a test, or making curfew. I wasn’t always successful- one day my parents allowed me to spend time with my friends until 11:00. I did not arrive home until 11:31. For 31 days my parents restricted me from friends and all electronic devices, except for my school computer. I only had schoolwork to focus on. At first, I had been reluctant to accept the wrongdoings that I had cumulated over the past months, but eventually, I accepted it. I returned to my typical day-to-day life with better time management skills and from that came many benefits. I realized that I wasn’t stressed anymore, I got along with my family, and I seemed to be constantly in a better mood.
But my key had more components. Self-care took the longest to navigate. Despite what my parents suggested, I appeared to be convinced that I’d already been performing self-care. I had confidence, I ate well, and I performed hygiene. Couldn’t that be it? It took time to figure out that self-care is much more than that, and how important it is to maintaining happiness as well. During quarantine, I had copious amounts of time for reflection and sooner than later I discovered my version of self-care. I meditated every day, cooked a healthy breakfast, went on daily runs, drank tea, etc. I also cut out more time for myself during the day whether it be doing something productive or relaxing. Similar to time management, I also came out in a better mood and less stressed.
From what I’ve learned, old keys don’t open new doors. My new key containing time management and self-care is what will help me thrive in my last 3 teenage years. I recommend to anyone to find their key no matter what might make it up. Finding what will bring out the best version of yourself is crucial to a successful life and to achieve your goals.
