Janurary 3 Blog 2

I was born in the small town of Newark, Delaware and was very comfortable in my hometown of Newark, Delaware, riding my bike along Main Street and going to ballet class every Tuesday night. However, my world changed when my family moved to Maryland. Even though the move was miniscule, the effect of separation from my friends and life I was custom to, made it feel a million miles away. However, just as I began to adjust to my new life, my personal nightmare repeated itself. My family packed up and relocated to the sunny sands of Jacksonville, Florida. I felt out of place in a paradise that was supposed to make one feel warm and welcomed. Even though I felt out of my element, I adjusted, and eventually became good friends with wonderful people. Although difficult, by adapting to change I made myself successful during my time there. After moving to the Sunshine State, my family once again transferred to a more frigid place. Michigan is seemingly more uninviting than Florida; however, because of the skills I gained during my experiences, I enjoyed the winter wonderland. I met unique people, adapted to new situations, and felt comfortable in an unfamiliar place. Through moving around the nation, I found myself. I found the outgoing person who gives those skills to my community in many ways. I am involved in multiple associations within St.Mark's, with almost all of them containing leadership roles. I am now the captain of the cheer team, a sport that I had never done before entering St. Mark’s. However, the confidence and skills that I had acquired during the moves I had made gave me the self-confidence to try out for the team. Another way I applied the experiences to my younger life was attempting to meet people through running for student council. I have been on student council for four years now and I cannot imagine what it would be like to not be involved in the association. These experiences not only gave me the courage to be involved in all that I am and helped me develop the skills that I now acquire. I plan on taking these aspects of myself with me when I take the leap into college. I am excited about using these life-changing skills to meet new people, becoming involved at a new place, and opening a new chapter in my life.