“I can’t wait to finally leave this school.”

Since the first day of my freshman year, this line has been bouncing around the hallways of East, travelling from one student to the next like a devastating disease. I would be lying if I told you I never said these famous words. Sometimes I would want to give up completely, tired of all the rules and boundaries given to me at East. I felt like I was sentenced to nine months of jail every September, having little freedom inside of school. While this sounds terrible, I believe it also sounds exciting. If I were going to feel like a criminal, confined to the walls of East, I would have to think like a criminal to break out of this prison. Even today I still feel like the school is a prison, but I also feel like I have broken out of the confinements of East.

I found the best way to break out of East was to stay in East. This probably sounds crazy to you, but getting involved in East has made all the difference. I have been involved in after-school clubs, such as the science team. I have played soccer for the school team every year. I have even participated in school functioned events at night, such as the dodgeball tournaments for Eastside. By getting involved in activities, I have opened many social outlets. The friends I made outside of classes through these activities have made school bearable, knocking down the walls of my prison cell.

Even today I can’t wait to leave this school, but for a different reason. I have finally broken out of prison, and I’m ready to take on my next exciting challenge, college.