And so it is.

The start of a new school year. Or somewhat, I know I'm a bit overdue. However I think everyone can understand the initial overwhelming stress that comes with AP's. New beginnings, aren't they the greatest? Although it never really happens in Thousand Oaks. Maybe someone forgets about you for a few months, and when school picks back up you reestablish yourself, but everyone still knows you. Perhaps your name hasn't been cleared of something or you will forever have the title of The Jock, The Bitch, The Stoner, The Slut, et cetera, et cetera. But I realized that doesn't matter. What does actually matter is the clean slate that you provide yourself with. Because living with integrity means 1- not settling for less than you deserve, especially in the field of relationships... 2- asking for what you want and need from others, rather than being paraphrastic or having ulterior motives... 3- speaking your truth, even though it may create conflict or tension... 4- behaving in ways that match your personal values... and lastly, 5- making choices based on what you believe, not what others believe. Reflecting back, I feel partially that I am the polar opposite of myself one year ago. But at the same time I feel so exactly the same. And what I realized is that I have grown SO much as a person. I worked on areas that I know needed improvement and bettered myself as a person. I know I owe a lot of that to the people who put me through everything I've dealt with. Its high school. Friends fluxuate. Life goes on. If certain people would like to go around making enemies their last few years of high school, that's their personal problem. I have people in my life that I know truly care for me and will always be there, and I would so much rather have that then a number of faulty friendships. So as of right now I'm taking care of business. I'm going to my classes, preoccupying myself at break, leaving at lunch, working, and seeing my friends on the weekend. And I am so wonderfully content with that.