8th Grade Graduation Narrative

A defining moment in my life was my 8th grade graduation. To most people who went to Hopkins, this may not seem like a big deal but to me, attending a private Christian elementary/middle school for the past 10 years was kind of a big deal. I had just spent the past 10 years with about the same 18 people and just like that- we would never see each other at school together ever again. The switch from a parochial middle school to a public junior high was difficult. The fact that I was no longer with my friends who I build strong relationships with hurt me a lot. It was hard to make friends in 9th grade because I missed all of my old friends so much. This gigantic transition changed many parts of who I thought I was. When at a religious school,
you are pretty much closed off to people who differ in culture, sexuality, and political views than you. Now that I go to Hopkins, I feel like I can be true myself and not be trapped in a utopia that I have been pressured into for years.