Resilience.

I am an overachiever. Not because I’ve always been like this, but because I’ve taught myself to be one. I have many accomplishments that I am proud of. I figured that in order to keep my accomplishments rolling, I must aim higher and higher; do everything I can in order to achieve what I want.

I am enrolled in SHSM, I work 29 hours a week, I am a director on the morning announcements, I am a professional graphic designer, I am (most of the time) my own mother, I am independent, I am studious, I don’t let anyone bring me down or degrade me, I stand up for what I believe is right, I love who I want, I am graduating with approximately 39 credits and I learn from every mistake I make.

SHSM is a program for technologically inclined students. It stands for “Specialist High Skills Major”. In order to complete this program, you must take many technological courses such as Graphic Design and complete other things such as CPR, WHMIS (both complete) and Co-op (to be completed next semester). This is something I am very proud of being in because a lot of people I speak to do not want to be enrolled in it because they say it is too difficult to complete.

I am currently a cashier at George’s Meat Shop. I work, (as stated before), 29 hours a week. In the Summer time, I work full time. I do many things at my workplace other than just act as cashier. I also work the bakery, the cheese section and I also stock shelves and clean if it is a quiet day. Despite many beliefs, it is not only a meat shop, but a supermarket.

I am a director on the morning announcements for the Blue Team. We are separated into three different teams due to a large class size: blue team, red team and green team. I am very proud to be a director but it was not always this way. There was a time (not too long ago) that I found my job as director overwhelming and almost impossible. Just last night, I went on YouTube and listened to Director’s Tracks behind the news. After doing this, I took my old script and scribbled out all my old, messy notes, replacing them with new, confident commands. Last week, our show went off without a hitch.

I also have generalized and pressure-induced anxiety, which also ties into my asthma. Because of this, I have to be very health conscious. My anxiety causes me to freeze up, get really warm or really cold, get dizzy and get nauseous. When at school, I often get so anxious (often for no apparent reason) that I get very sick. In grade nine and ten, it was the worst. I went home almost every day due to my anxiety. It’s caused by things in my past and present that I don’t wish to disclose but I am getting some help for it. However, I’m not on any anti-anxiety medications.

My ability to go about my daily routine makes me resilient. I pick myself up and I keep going. This makes me very proud of myself. 

Expanding the writing community.

In today’s society, we are harshly judged based on what we do, what we say, what we wear and what we believe. Based on my observations and experiences, people have become more judgmental and over time, have placed themselves into categories. Writing is a therapeutic, calming and expressive activity that can drastically improve one’s life. When someone feels targeted or judged based on what they enjoy, they feel discouraged. In some cases, I have seen people stop or write less frequently because others did not approve of their work.

The message we need to spread in the writing community is that you should write for yourself and for your own enjoyment, no matter what anyone else says. Write about what you feel, what you think about, what you envision and what you dream of. Expanding the writing community can be this simple and can also consist of exposing people to new kinds of stories, which will inspire them to create their own successful story. What needs to be clear is that writing is not something you do purely for money, recognition or fame. We can’t all be J.K Rowling but we can all share the similar love for the written word.