Personal Narrative: Facing My Demons

It is inevitable that everyone’s high school experience will be different. For most people, high school is about having fun and enjoying their last few years before they are forced out into the cold, dark world. However, for the rest, it is about expanding their knowledge potential and gaining skills to fight off everyday battles. My high school adventure was a mixture of the two.

My general physics teacher had a habit of making my classmates and I stand as soon as he walked in the room. Every morning he would tell us, “remember children, the reason I have you stand is to show respect to the person better than you.” He acted as though he ruled the world with a flaming spear. My high school career was filled with terror.

I come from Bedford, Indiana; a small town that is about the size of a quarter. On the first day of my sophomore year, my cousin allowed me to ride with him to what the locals call “the mansion on the hill.” The school had three floors, two above ground, and one below. The building itself covered six acres. The sports fields added another four acres. The previous year had ended the three-year construction schedule. Most of the school was brand new. As we walked in, the sight of people running around, and the sound of teenagers screaming at the top of their lungs about the new school year, made me think we had just walked through the gates of hell.

My freshman year ended poorly. I was not the worst student, but I was not the best either. I was too caught up in the new high school experience and allowed my grades to fall. As I walked to my first class, I just kept telling myself that this year was going to be different. I was going to put all of my focus into my schoolwork. My plans were to attend the IU School o...

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...t that usually consisted of reading an entire chapter and completing the questions at the end of each chapter, which was due the following day. All of his tests were well over one hundred questions with three essays. It took three and a half days to complete his exams. As the year went on, the class got even harder and he grew to be an even more demanding instructor.

Looking back, I am glad I took the class and I do not think I would change it if I could. It was hard at the time, but I gained the skills needed to take on college. His class better prepared me for professors that do not accept anything less than the best. I ended my high school physics class with a “B” average. I was horrified from what I had to go through to get that grade but at the same time, I was happy that I took the class. He made me realize that life is a lot like his class, tough and unfair.