I’ve never been good with change. When my parents divorced it nearly tore me apart. I went into a chronic depression and had therapy. It was hard to deal with that major change in my life but it has taught me a valuable lesson.

My story will start in the summer after my senior year in high school. Normally I would be weightlifting in the school’s weight room with all the other football players during the off-season. But this year, I have to work out on my own. It wasn’t terrible, but I sure didn’t like it. Instead of the normal routine of waking up at 6:30 in the morning and dragging myself to lifting, I wake up at 7 and go work on roofs for some extra money. The work was even harder than the normal workouts that Coach Koedam put us through. After that, I would go home and shower. Maybe take a nap. Then I got ready for my main job, the Pizza Ranch. I would normally work from around 4 or 5 till we closed. I love the people that work there, so it was fun.

I went through the summer in this new routine and just took things as they came. It was fun. I went shooting, played some basketball at the local park, lifted, and worked. All was fine until the wednesday before I moved into the dorms came. Mom was talking to me about what to pack and Jordan kept saying things that he wanted to do to my room when he got it. It stressed me out. I started to get really irritated and was freaking out on everyone for the smallest things.

Then thursday came. everything got worse. I started packing up all of my belongings. My stomach was turning and nothing was making me feel any better. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited. But I couldn’t make my mind relax.

Then, Friday. This was the worst day. My family was with me but I felt totally disconnected. My entire world was changing. I couldn’t understand what was happening. I had never experienced something so frightening as the feeling of sheer lonesomeness. I hated every moment of it. Until, finally, someone that I recognized came to the rescue. My friend luke and I started to hang out. We invited a few people and went over to his house. It was great! I wasn’t the only one seeking some sort of companionship. I met a couple new people and had a blast.

Now I am settled into a new routine. Go to class, do homework, go to work, hang out. I feel better about being here and don’t have that disconnected feeling anymore. I think that this is going to be a great experience and possibly the best days of my life.