John F. Kennedy once said, “There is nothing more certain and unchanging than uncertainty and change”. This quote best personifies one of my beliefs. This I believe: Change happens, and it is your own responsibility to make the best of it.
This belief was instilled into me when I was in seventh grade. I had attended the same school for all my life and was comfortably, if not happily, making my way through life. I was insecure and unsure of who I was, conscientious of my looks and what people thought of me. Most of the time I found myself sad; I was waiting for something to come. But most of all, I was lonely. I didn’t have a ton of friends, and only one who I was close to. And slowly, my school experience started to deteriorate. Even though I wasn’t looking for it, that year change found me.
I got an opportunity to go to a new school for eighth grade. And, even though it was a huge step for me, I decided to change. Next thing I knew, I was accepted and enrolled into my new school. Of course, the first days of the new school year were hard, but I suddenly had the chance to be something I hadn’t been in a long time. I was the “New Kid”. Throughout the year, I made lots of friends, and achieved recognition for good things like grades and this helped my self esteem immensely. I wasn’t as concerned with what people thought of me or how I looked to the world, and realized that I was finally happy. By the end of the year, I made friends I will never forget, and made memories that I hope will last forever.
Now, I am in high school, and have made it through another change of schools. I still find myself with moments of satisfaction and being truly happy. Learning to go through change is a valuable lesson and everyone has to learn it, whether you want to or not. So, we have to learn how to make the best of changes, good or bad, that come into our lives. This part of my belief is captured in this quote from Maya Angelou “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”