Change.
I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with that word. Moving to a new state at the start of my freshman year, I wasn’t sure I would find a community I belonged in. I was used to seeing the same roads and growing up with the same people, never having to leave my small town. This mindset made it difficult to accept Prosper as my new home. However, over the past four years, I’ve learned that this word doesn’t have to be negative.
Joining newspaper my freshman year, I found a community that pushed me to present the best version of myself. With every story I covered, I became more interconnected with the voices of the underrepresented and built my own narrative. The newspaper showed me the importance of taking advantage of opportunities at the moment. It showed me that I could only belong in a community if I made an effort. I learned to step outside of my comfort zone, exploring every new passion of mine, from Model UN to starting my nonprofit, NeuroNext Foundation, to neuroscience research. Each activity, however, had one thing in common – the need for change and adaptation.
I’ve learned so much about the importance of communication, collaboration and charitability, but I’ve discovered the most about myself through this one word. As my last year of high school is coming to an end and I’m preparing for the next chapter of my life, I hope to continue turning the fear of change into motivation to grow in college and beyond. I’m so grateful I found people I’ve come to call my family and a place I’ve come to call home. As I move forward, I want to continue adding to my narrative through the communities I build.
Both the past and the future are factors I can’t control, but appreciating the constant ups and downs has given me the gift of living life in the moment. It has shown me that there’s so much to experience with every new passion, person and place. Change may be inevitable, but I now cherish it as the most beautiful part of life’s journey.