There is one phrase you hear more than once while venturing into adulthood: “The grass is greener on the other side.” Students spend years chasing the next thing. Better grades. Better schools. Better friends. Better popularity. Better opportunities. High school trains you to think like that. You’re always looking ahead toward college, adulthood, and whatever comes after this. You want to be the best.
But honestly, I think the light is lighter on the other side. A glow stick taught me that.
On its own, a glow stick is merely a plastic tube. They are clear and colorless; there is nothing that will attract you to them. However, the moment it breaks, it begins to glow brighter and brighter with every “crack.” However, something painful has to happen first before it glows: the crack of the glowstick that initiates the break. As simple as it sounds, and while seeming completely unrelated, it is an idea that, to me, feels a lot like growing up.
High school, or life in general, has a way of breaking people in different ways. There is stress, loss, rejections, and parental expectations. When I first transferred to Arcadia High School I struggled to adjust. I came from a small private school where classes were not very rigorous, and arriving here mid semester made it difficult to catch up. Over time, through overnighters, energy drinks, extra tutoring, and a lot of frustration, I eventually caught up in my classes. That experience taught me the importance of asking for help and realizing that everyone starts somewhere. Over time, and through tons of overnighters, energy drinks, and tutoring, I eventually caught up to all of my courses. The break that shaped my freshman year taught me the important experience of reaching out for help, because we all start somewhere.
Sophomore year, I started learning more about myself and the people around me. I navigated through friendships. I began to find my footing in high school. I decided to take my first self-study AP exam, which I did not prepare nearly as much as I wished. That experience taught me discipline and how important self-stuyding really is. Most importantly, I found my footing in high school. I decided to take my first self-study AP test, and ended up not studying for it as much as I’d wished to. This taught me the importance of self-studying. The break that shaped my sophomore year taught me that success does not come from talent, but discipline and effort.
The next year hit me like a tsunami. Junior was the hardest year academically. I found myself trying to stay afloat amidst the two tests every week and juggling a sport on top of APs. There were nights when I stayed up until 3 a.m. after practice, finishing assignments, then had to wake up at 5 a.m. to study for another test. Other nights it wasn’t even worth sleeping at all, because I only had 30 minutes. I felt exhausted all the time and started feeling like nothing I did was enough. I burned outmore times than I can count, but I persevered anyways. That year I learned that through sweat and tears, literally, you are one step closer to your goals. I also learned that the result is always more cherishable than the process but the harsh process is what makes the result rewarding. The break that shaped my junior year taught me growth does not come from comfort.
Senior year, which is supposed to be one of the most nostalgic years of high school, was anything but that for me. While it was supposed to be the biggest milestones of my life and the end of my high school journey, it unexpectedly became one of the hardest years of my life. I lost friendships taht I had spent the last four years building. Amidst all the stressful rumors I wanted graduation to come as fast as possible. There were days where I questioned myself and everything around me. Through all of this, my grades started slipping, and the college goals I once thought were realistic began to feel farther and farther out of reach. There were moments where it honestly felt like everything I had worked for was falling apart. But somehow, even through all of that, I never completely lost the will to keep fighting. It took me a long time to recover from everything, but I never gave up on myself, and eventually I found a way to stand back up again. The break that shaped my senior year taught me how strong my will to survive was.
Ultimately, all of these breaks never fully disappeared. Even now, there are days when I look down and can still feel the residue left behind from every moment that broke me. While the process of breaking was hard, each time it changed me for the better. They change the way I think, treat people, and how I carry myself. Those marks are not something I am ashamed of anymore. They are proof that I successfully survived every version of myself that thought I could no longer keep going.
With high school ending, I am excited to see what the future holds. College will probably break me too, but this time in new ways. Regardless, I am no longer scared of that process. One day, I know I will look back and realize the moments that challenged me the most were also the moments that helped me grow the most. My struggles are only one part of my story. What matters more is the person I ended up with because of them.
Thank you, Arcadia High School.
