icanchangeyalife.mp3

So I completed this essay in less than 45 minutes, so if it seems rushed and incomplete, it is. -_-

Reflective Essay

What a wild year it has been for me. From getting my first job, to spending an arm and a leg on gas, this year has been the most fulfilling and active of all 17 I’ve experienced. When I talk say “fulfilling” and “active” I mean in all ways possible; mentally, emotionally and socially. The maturity level I have earned is one that people can finally respect. I’ve met many new people and am still connected with old ones that have changed my life forever. And lastly, the emotional level I’ve experienced is both stressful and appeasing. My life, as I will come to know it, has just begun..

“Mentally” is a word we all use carefully. When you ask me how I’ve changed “mentally,” I’ll sit there and think of past occurrences and, usually, think off-topic. But when I have time to myself, I notice how much I have changed, for better or for worse. I guess it depends on who you are. I have multiple personalities for different types of people, yet all these personalities are similar in ways. One thing I know for sure is that I’m never the same person. I have a mild case (not diagnosed) of “bi-polar disorder,” meaning I’ll be really happy at one point, and then I’ll see, think or day-dream of something and my mood will change completely. I don’t know how it happens, but it does and I’m pretty much used to it by now. Sometimes I think it’s a big problem, but most of the time it helps me out. It helps me get through stressful times, like arguing with my girlfriend or going to work in a few minutes. Point being, I wasn’t always this way. At the beginning of the year, I was dependent on other people. But since I’ve been working and I’ve done more thinking to myself, I think it’s safe to say that I’m almost completely independent. The only thing holding back now is my parents. When high school is done, I think I will face the biggest transition of my life: going to college.

One person I can thank for my higher maturity level is my girlfriend, Tricia. She’s helped me in so many ways possible, it’s impossible to write them in this essay. We’ve been together for 2 years, and mind you, we’re in a long-distance relationship. We’ve seen each other so little, that I can count and remember how many days we’ve actually spent together: roughly 58 days and counting. I’ve been given a lot of praise and also a lot of criticism for the accomplishment of staying with someone who is 4 states away and can still remain happy. I think my motivation is the happiness I will receive when this is all over with and Tricia & I will make our love official by getting married and having kids. There’s no one in the world I would rather spend my life with. “How are you so sure?” That’s a question I’ve heard so many times in so many variations. If you really want to know, I can’t explain it. It’s something you feel, something so strong, yet unexplainable to the human ears. I could sit here and rant for hours how it feels and you still wouldn’t understand. You have to experience the love, the happiness, the tears, the joy, the pain, the awakening of having someone to share your life with. To talk to, laugh with, cry with day after day and still come out happy in the end. Now, I know that no one is perfect but it’s highly possible that two people could be a perfect match; there’s no one else that they could ever be with, because they’re that perfect. This is something rare in today’s world, and Tricia & I are two of the lucky few who have experienced this feeling.

One changing point in my life this past year is my employment at Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza. It was something I have wanted to do (getting a job) and I got what I asked for. I started out working as a Host there, seating people, greeting them and dealing with the drama that comes with working in a restaurant. I met many new people, great people, who are highly entertaining and keep me from committing suicide (hypothetically) at the host stand. My point is that, with this job, I have gained new responsibilities and grown as a person there. I have attained a new level of speech, meaning that my conversationalist skills have greatly improved. I’m good at making eye-contact while talking and containing a calm mood in nervous situations. Since October of 2007, when I was hired there, I have been given a raise from $6.15/hr to $8.00/hr working as a Host and $9.00 working as To-Go/Take-out. This is a big accomplishment and I, along with my ‘brother,’ Darryl (who was hired on the same day with me and actually lives with me currently), are considered some of the best Hosts they have. I’m really appreciative to have been given this job and will continue to work there until I start college this fall.

(This paragraph will serve as both my concluding paragraph and my goals for the next year.) In conclusion, my evolution from immature little boy, to mature, responsible, young man is near completion. I will be starting college this fall while still enrolling in 2 courses at Westlake High School for my senior year. This will be a tough task for me and I will have to buckle down on my study habits. Now that I think about it, I will be taking high school classes and college classes while still working. Wow. That’s more motivation to succeed, which I will do. I have no doubt in my mind. I can only grow stronger, and I will not allow myself to weaken these next few years. So, here’s a toast to me, for my accomplishments over the past year and the goals I will meet in the next year. Cheers.