Personal Narrative: The First Day Of Middle School

The first day of school, and even more exciting, the first day of middle school. Sixth grade! Oh how grown up I thought I was! Unfortunately, though, my euphoria quickly dissipated. Whilst standing at the bus stop fantasizing about all of the friends I would make and the fun projects I would do, the other kids at the bus stop started to laugh at me and call me names. They were making fun of the fact that I didn’t wear matching clothes. This was the first time that I realized that I was being made a laughing stock because of my individuality.
That day after school I went home and picked out my clothes for the next day and I asked my mother if it matched. She then proceeded to ask me why I asked her because she knew that I never matched my clothes.
After a while I got used to always sticking out. In fact, I learned to speak up, and that’s when people started to listen. When I actually started to lead people, they followed. That was the moment that I realized that being different wasn’t a curse, it was a blessing. A leader isn’t afraid to take risks, and while I could have just faded into the background, I divided to take a risk and continue being me. As a leader, one cannot be afraid of what others will think of the decisions he or she makes. I have learned through my struggles not to be afraid of the criticism of others and to just go with what I feel is right. Embracing my individuality has taught me not to just go with the flow, its taught me to question what everyone else called normal. Being “different” showed me how to be a leader. A leader doesn’t just sit back or tries to be like everyone else, a leader proudly stands out and is confident. A leader realizes that their differences are the exact thing that makes them capable to lead others. Looking back on this I realized that although I ended up learning valuable lessons from my experiences, not everyone will. Nobody should be punished for being their self. I have learned that I value positivity and encouragement above all else, and that all people should try to spread that around. I want people to know that it