In your stride

All my life I was labelled as a 'bright' person. I always got the top marks in exams and I did really well at school. I got told I was clever and I'd do well in my life. Yet when it comes down to real life, it's not the marks you get on your paper that determine whether you will do well. Trust me. Nothing academical will help you when you have to face reality, you need to be worldly wise.

When I started secondary school, I was labelled as the intelligent, pretty one. I know I'm quite intelligent but to be labelled as 'pretty' in your adolescences years is actually hell. At puberty you hate yourself. I could hardly stand to look in the mirror, and people were calling me beautiful?! I had such low self esteem which got so bad I started bad habits such as smoking and drinking. I never was really popular because I think girls were threatened by me, even though I couldn't stand up for myself. I used to hang around mainly on my own or with other lads because I suppose once they got past that initial period of 'I fancy you' they became great friends.

When I left secondary school I got pretty good GCSE and I went straight to college where I am now. I was so unbelievably nervous I was shaking as I got dropped off. Now I look back at that day and perhaps all my school life and I smile. Even though it was such a bad time without it, I wouldn't be the person I am now. Childhood and Adolescences is there to shape us into the people we will be in the future. So take it in your stride. The ride may be rough but in the end it's all worth it.

xoxo