I am now a Junior in HS, as most of you who will read this probably already know. I decided to spend some time looking back on my previous two years at Laconia High School since I am half way finished with my high school career.

First of all looking back at Freshman year, I will admit I made some pretty dumb mistakes, but I also had my good days. In the beginning of the year I was crushing on this one guy in my bowling league, but then I realized, why like someone if they don't like you back, or don't even know you exist for that matter. Another thing that comes back is questions about what if I made different choices of who to hang out with, not only Fresman year, but the previous years in middle school, maybe even elementary school, would I still have the same friends I have now? Or would I be hanging out with the "popular" crowd? Also Freshman year I didn't work nearly as hard as I should have, sure I passed my classes, but not with the grades I knew I could get. A mistake I most definitely learned from for Sophomore year. Near the middle I finally gave up on the guy from bowling and found the guy I am currently going out with, a choice I do not regret what so ever. This is also when I decided to pick up the pace and get serious about my grades. Near the end, I realized the friends I had made would be friends for a long time, and not the kind of friends who can turn into your enemy on a dime, but true friends through thick and thin. That leads into sophomore year.

Sophomore year was, thankfully, somewhat easier. Except for the fact of new teachers, more difficult courses, but on the flip side, I had learned to work harder in all of my classes. 10th grade happened to be filled with a lot more drama, more cliqueiness, and more homework. People started on and off relationships (I was still going out with the same guy), kept to their "groups" more, and not to mention we all got loads more homework. In this year I learned to deal with drama and to make a stand against trying to be like everyone else. I learned to just be myself and if people hated me for it oh well, that's their problem. If they all want to be conformists... so be it. The relationship part of sophomore year was going good, we had a little rough spots, but we are still together today. YAY!!! Anyways, besides fighting off conforming to others expectations and the sort of massive amounts of homework, sophomore year was a breeze.

Now as a Junior and looking back on all this stuff, there are times where I have thought to myself, "What the hell was I doing?" and other times where I'm like, "How the hell did I get through that and make the right choice." As for the cliques part of it, I look back and I'm glad I didn't try to "fit in" I was just myself and have found some great friends as a result of that choice. There is no way that I would want to pretend to be someone I'm not just to be friends with the right people. And right now I don't care if people label me as a geek, a nerd, a punk, or w/e they want to call me, because I'm just, me. I don't try to fit any label. This year I'm going to work harder than I did in my past two years of high school, and with the help of my friends, get through it with ease.