Man.
Looking back on it all, its been a long past few years.
I realized that yesterday as I practically single-handedly ran the bottom of the track at Silicon Valley's 7th Annual Soap Box Derby local. I don't think I've ever had so much control over people older than me. It was kind of awesome, considering I think of myself as a small, young, female who is often reserved in many senses of the word, but is not afraid to be loud and embarrass herself in front of people.
Now as I look back on it all and even look forward into this summer and the years to come, I've grown a lot from the quiet little tomboy with the bowl cut and Harry Potter glasses to this animated, exuberant, young leader. I've guided kids around rattlesnakes at Science Camp, taken care of kids at Soap Box, and co-lead and befriended my campers and Cabin Leaders at the 2 Summer Camps I've worked at.
As a kid, my nose was always in a book, or in a band aid. I was a klutz, quiet, didn't get along too well with people my age or gender, and if I wasn't reading, I was playing soccer or drawing. If I did hang out with people, it would be because I was trying way too hard to fit in, or I was playing soccer with the boys. I still remember being asked things like "Why do you wear dresses so much?" and "Why is your hair short?" and really, I was trying to fit in with the dresses and prove to people that I was in fact a girl, and my hair was short because I hated brushing it. I got teased so I stayed quiet.
In middle school, I broke out of my quiet shell when I was introduced to Tech Class and KDOG, the news broadcast for my school. It was a big step for me to go from the quiet behind the scenes tech operator to being an anchor as my fellow classmates see me do still to this day. From KDOG, I transitioned to Chorus parts in both Guys and Dolls and Bugsy Malone and a Duet in 8th grade. Finally, in 8th grade, I joined Leadership class and ran all the dances, lunch-time activities, planned all sorts of events, and worked in the Autism and Special Needs department some days. Joining Leadership was probably the most important decision I made all throughout Middle School; without it, I would not be the young woman I am today.
Now, in High School, I've been supporting and chorus roles in Giver, Curtains, Bullshot Crummond, The Wiz, and The Jungle Book. I'm also Secretary of the Gay Straight Alliance, and hope to be President next year.
This summer, I am applying to a Summer camp to build Go-Karts with middle schoolers. Also, I will be a Counselor in Training at Camp Wastahi this summer and I have been going there for 4 years now.
Looking back on it all, I don't regret anything I've done. Regardless of how busy my life has been, I don't think I've turned down one opportunity and I don't regret that.
