Katy B., Oakwood High School
True Friendship
Attaining self-confidence can feel like facing an insurmountable challenge. The expectations of your parents, your teachers, your peers, and society can easily bury someone beneath their smothering weight, until, choked by insecurity, your identity starts to wither, disappear until you become a mere shadow, a composition of illusion, framed by iron bars. To break those boundaries, you must discover that happiness doesn''t depend on fulfilling others'' expectations, In the fall of 8th grade, the sun had begun to shape itself into a dripping ball of light in the sky, drops of sunlight glistening on clouds, pieces of broken summer. The crisp air swept through the fragile branches, catching leaves that had turned brown and gold and sunset shades, twirling them through the air till they drifted to the ground, gilded with gorgeous colors.
Meanwhile, I wandered through hallways packed with students, chatting and giggling with friends: I was a typical junior high student. Despite all this, I was unhappy - something was missing. Each day felt monotonous and dry, lacking the flavor that comes to mind when recounting a warm memory. I began to wilt, suffocated flowers, unable to spread my petals or burst with vivid colors.
Yearning for a piece of uniqueness, I looked at my interactions. I noticed that the moments I remembered, the times I looked forward to, were conversations with a certain friend. I enjoyed all of my friends'' company, each one was important, but, when I spent time with this person, I began to feel like myself again.
When the sky turned gray and the trees’ delicate branches sparkled with trails of glistening frost, I started to emulate this behavior all the time. Smiling, I glided down hallways with my friends, unconcerned with my appearance, they allowed me to feel confident in myself no matter the attire. If they criticized or tried to change me, they would be the worst kind of friends. Luckily, this turn of events did not come about. My confidence grew through their endless smiles and constant laughs. Doing what made me happy, what made me, nurtured the core of my identity, the unchanging part of me that would last through my whole life. I reached out to new people and made goofy jokes; I acted as I did with my helpful friend. Eventually, amidst laughter and silliness-true friendship-, I began to bloom again.
So, when you begin to shrink into corners, unsure of how to act, who to be; when you start to lose the vitality you felt you had in the past; when you start to feel surrounded, trapped by seemingly endless expectations, remember: What do you have to lose? By embracing yourself, disregarding the judgment of others, you can make, keep, friends who admire you for who you are, people you enjoy spending time with, and will stand with you always, no matter what. When you find true friendship, always remember that it’s not mundane, typical occurrence. It’s special, beautiful. It''s irreplaceable. It’s magic.
