Stories from Teens

"The switch from middle school to high school was not easy. I wasn't sure of the people I would meet or the friendships I would have. My best friends all decided to go to the same high school, while I decided it would be better if I went somewhere else. That meant not being able to see them every day. Even as a sophomore now, I treasure the memories we once had and remind myself that feelings are temporary and friendships become memories."

"It isn't too much to say that this year has been extremely hard as a kid. This year has been filled with tests, trials, and heartbreak. This year, I watched kids protest for human rights, watched my best friends look depression in the eyes, watched my stepfather slowly lose his job, and witnessed unforgivable decisions made by our government. We fought this year, all while having to write essays and sit through Zoom calls. Stressful is only the beginning to what we truly feel."

"Hearing the words 'people don't like me' from my rock and best friend hurts. I can only see the disappointment and resentment in her eyes with every word. Sometimes, we have to be someone else's person. I'm only left saying, 'you're important to me.' In the end, it's you and me and God. That's all that matters. There is comfort in knowing the people you care about know that they are loved."

"I remember my grandma coming to the U.S. for the first time like it was yesterday. She promised that she would stay with us longer than my cousins in Atlanta. She ended up staying there the whole time with my cousins and us going to their house. I remember feeling betrayed and hurt, and not to help my situation, my cousins rubbed it in that my grandma loves them more. I overcame this feeling of abandonment by taking a step away from the situation. I needed to clear my head so I didn't act on my anger at the time. As much as I wanted to give a piece of my mind to my cousins, I felt it was rather smarter to be the bigger person and take a step back. Till this day, this technique has helped me to avoid unnecessary conflicts with people who speak without putting their minds to the matter, and this has helped build my patience levels."

"Waking up with sweat dripping and panic, I remember not seeing anyone I knew around me. Taken aback, I felt like they left me to go attend a party. My anxiety at the moment hit a home run, and I remember having problems breathing and my grandma rushing in. In that situation, the only logical thing that came to my mind was to be angry at everyone. Why? I didn't know. I was young and angry at feeling left behind. After a long discussion with my parents, I started to understand the broader picture of me being sick leading up to the day and my parents worrying it would only get worse. I guess you could say I was being childish, but who knew that this would be the first step to me actually discussing my actions and thoughts with my parents and with those close to me. Since then, this has had a domino effect in my life, and I have never been happier to be left behind."

"It was the day of my birthday. All my friends had arrived at the park to watch the sunset, but one of my friends hadn't made it yet. When I called her, she told me she was already there and her mom was blaming her, but in reality, it was a mistake I made. I told her a very similar name, and as I started to realize what I had done, guilt started eating me up. I started to beat myself over the fact that I made such a careless mistake. After a few days of grieving, I spoke my mind to my mom who told me it was okay to make mistakes and that I just needed to clear up the miscommunication with my friend and her mother. I guess that was one of the many times I learned that speaking openly about your mistake and how you felt at the time will help you feel at ease. I followed her advice, and when I spoke to my friend and told her what was on my mind, my guilt subsided. This technique has always helped me feel at ease, and I understood the true meaning of having clear communication with those who are close to you and who you truly love."