At the end of my eighth-grade year, we were told to take home an orange packet. This orange packet included a paper that I was to fill out to decide which classes I wanted to take for my freshman year of high school. I thought about each class that I was interested in taking and decided whether or not it could benefit me in the future. 

I filled out all of the boxes that decided my main classes, like English and math. Then, it was time to begin deciding my electives. I had played violin for three years before this, so of course I put Varsity Orchestra as one, but when it came to deciding on my second elective, I just couldn’t decide. None of the available electives interested me like orchestra did.

Another day passed, and I decided to talk to my grandma. I knew she could help me decide, and whichever she picked would benefit me in one way or another. I gave her the options of law studies, child development, mass communication, and media studies. I read to her the description of each choice, and she decided that Mass Communication and Media Studies would be the best option for me. When I returned to school the next day, after the weekend, the counselors from the high school were there to help us put the classes we had chosen in Skyward.

I finished out that school year, and graduated. On my first day of high school, I attended my first class of the day, orchestra, which I already knew I would like. After that class was over, I had Mass Communication and Media Studies next. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and I still wasn’t completely sure what the class was about. Dr. VanZandt took us to his other classroom, where he explained the class to us. 

During the next few weeks, more people started coming to the class. This girl sat by me, but I didn’t know her name. I asked her, but I couldn’t hear what she said, since she talked very quietly. We’ve sat by each other every day since then, and I can say she is one of my very good friends.

It’s now the end of semester one, and I would say that I am a much better writer than I was before. Not just in Mass Communication and Media Studies, but also just in general. This class has also taught me many things besides how to write. It’s taught me how to be more responsible, and how to be more on top of my assignments. I’m very grateful that my grandma convinced me to take this class, and I am thankful that I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try something I never thought I would.