I didn’t always like going to school in the morning; in fact, I used to hate going to school. I always found it boring, useless, and a waste of time. I always asked my self, “when will I ever need to do/use this outside of this classroom?” The process of getting up early, getting ready and then sitting at school for seven hours a day Monday through Friday didn’t appeal to me one bit. Little by little, I had unknowingly programmed myself into thinking that it was such a burden to go, that I eventually didn’t even want to go at all. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even set my alarm for the next day. Partly, because I wasn’t fond of the idea of having to stay put, seated for a majority of the day cooped up inside, and partly because I didn’t like how early I would have to wake up.
I found myself getting into trouble with school, getting behind in my classes, forming a bad attendance record, and my teachers/classmates noticing my poor habits: I had been late so often that I had become truant throughout the year and my first hour class actually had to be switched to a study hall. This had gone on for nearly both of my freshman and sophomore years of high school. At the time, though, doing poorly in school and getting into all of that trouble, unfortunately didn’t bother me. To be quite frank, I really didn’t mind one way or the next whether I passed or failed. I was more caught up with making new friends and making any impression at all (whether it was good or bad) than putting effort into things that mattered then and still matter now; myself.
Family, friends, and my parents all tried talking to me and getting to the bottom of why I was making the choices I was, but nothing they seemed to say worked. I had started going down the wrong path with the wrong set of friends: staying out later than my given curfew, not answering my calls, and talking back/getting an attitude with the people who truly cared about me. It wasn’t until the last half of my sophomore year that my life had really begun to change. I had ended up failing two of my classes that semester. I remember thinking this isn’t worth it, I should just drop out. My mother and father finally sat me down one night at the end of that school year and did something they had never done before: made a big decision without discussing it beforehand.
They had told me I would be going to a completely new school next year, but it would be different than I’m used to. They went on to explain that they had enrolled me in Monroe Virtual, an online high school. Hearing those words roll off of my mother’s tongue instantly angered me. I was partly in complete and utter shock and partly against the idea of going to an online high school. I was convinced that I would lose all of my friends and my whole social life. I didn’t want to be considered a loner or not have any friends at all. Even though I had fallen very behind at my conventional high school, I was still extremely apprehensive about doing something completely new, out of my comfort zone. Reluctantly, I had finally come to terms and accepted what my parents wanted me to do. I was so scared of changing schools and doing something I completely wasn’t comfortable with; that I was being close-minded and not to mention, very stubborn. After starting my junior year and getting into the swing of things, I had grown to actually appreciate what my parents had done for me.
Looking back, I am thankful that my parents had made that choice for me after all, because I may not have passed high school. I’m also glad they chose to change my schooling because it was an extreme eye-opener for my education and me. Online schooling helped me to realize that school really isn’t a joke or something to be taken for granted. Having the independence to be able to make my own choices and form a schedule to work around my life made it fun to do and not just a chore. Now, I love going to school and being able to learn and better myself.