My idea of high school was never the cliché “High School Musical” fantasy. Living in Logan, Iowa, I knew my experience would not include the glamorously depicted scenes on T.V. What I didn’t know is that I would be graduating with 500 classmates instead of the 50 that I grew up with.

The day I decided to move was not expected by any of the 2,000 citizens of Logan, especially not my friends. One even told me that I would fail to make new friends and would be miserable when moving to Omaha.

With my “friends” statement in mind, I attempted to join clubs both to prove him wrong and just to feel more comfortable in my new school. The first club I joined, however, did not serve me well.

I first joined the theater department because, at my old school, I acted in the plays and musicals. Because acting seemed too intimidating, I joined costumes. Although I had a lot of fun and made plenty of friends, a majority of the theater department failed to remember my name despite the amount of hours I put in. Luckily, I have shown my concern and some have become more accepting.

Quitting the theater helped relieve a lot of my stress and allowed me to focus on what I really cared about, the newspaper. Though I felt left out at first, this activity has helped me learn a lot more about the world around me. It has especially allowed me to voice my concern about the environment.

Although I understand that many roll their eyes at most of my worries about the earth, I have done extensive research and know that my concerns are valid. MN has people that share these concerns with me while my old school tends to lack these concerns, again reassuring me that my decision was for the better.

Ultimately, MN has provided me with opportunities that I would not have had at Logan-Magnolia. The change in atmosphere has helped prepare me for college and the variety of opinions has helped me learn about sides I had not considered.

I am especially grateful for my teachers at MN. They have helped me adapt, grow, and prepare for everything ahead. My transition from basic classes to honors and AP was difficult, but they understood and helped me through. I know that I can talk to them if I need help with the confusion of college or if I just need to rant. These leaders have given me hope that no matter what happens, I can always keep trying and get back up.