The Turning Point of My Life

The Turning Point of My Life I was in my final year at Rodeo High School. I was only seventeen and the pressure of knowing the outcome of post high school results would determine my whole life ahead finally got to me. I snapped out of my bewilderment one day, in the absence of my parents while they were out on vacation, I went out with my friends, hoping to find myself spiritually and mentally. This was the turning point in my life that would ultimately lead to my destiny. With an incomplete education on hand, I was socially labeling myself as a lost soul, unaware of what to do or where to go. Don’t get me wrong, my mom of course being the only parent in our family of two, myself being the youngest has guided me throughout my journey from birth to this point that am at now, age 21. I ran into a group of people who claimed they could assist me out of this dark web I was tangled in including some who were friends and social groups. They introduced me to drugs, dosed in the marijuana life was tumbling downhill like a snowball, only gathering wrong as it rolled. It was those times where I was not even aware of what I was doing until I went home to get some sleep and then craved more of the drugs I had

already once ingested. I was a rouge teenager who lived by my wits in corrupt society were the act of submitting myself to these low standards is considered the to be the norm hence the legalization of such plant for “health,” purposes. It led me to proceed to a state of panic when I was crossing the path of very new conditions such as no clear understanding where I would head next within the next hours, days, months and even years. It was a path that had little visibility and can see much turbulence ahead where much diffusion of acts, state of mind, actions are going to occur with me having little to no control of such event. Then comes the time when graduation became warm in time and all seniors are preparing for graduation rehearsals. This was definitely an exciting time during the end of my high school career, I mean isn’t this what all high school await for? Yet, the melancholy came when counselors were calling each and every senior for graduation requirement review and to top it off I was next from my class on the roster. This was the most disheartening time when my high school counselor, Mr. Kim informed me that I was trending to finish 15 units short which means I was not going to be able to graduate hence the ultimate ambition of making my mom proud became ceased. My greatest fear has now become part of reality and according to my counselor there was little to nothing I had control of unfortunately not even assisting after-school programs as offered through by my high school. During my last days at RodeoHigh School were the worst of my time there. I was full of devastation and felt great sorrow for the news I have received from my counselor, bitter that my mom was going to break down and this was just a down hill course for me within my last days and also the beginning of my hardships post high school. Then came graduation time and had to explicitly announce to my mom that I was not going to be able to walk because of my lack of completing units required then of course would come the mother to son lecture in which I knew was coming. She lectured me on the hardships that am going to face just alike the one am currently facing and said that I am going to steer and compose my life the way I want it to be, if a shameful life is what I want then that’s what am going to receive. In another words, she said I am the architect of my destiny and this forever changed my perspective of not only how I view myself but also the world’s. I knew had to achieve and exceed to not only my moms expectations but also my own. My plan was still very vague yet one change did occur the friends who I use to hang around with either moved out from the city, started working and thus we all become separated, good thing I would say. I immediately started to look into adult school around my area that will be able to help in obtaining my GED. Surprisingly and unexpectedly that same day my mom received a phone call from Mr. Kim, if I remember correctly this was about two weeks after school being over. I was in the shower getting ready to go out research adult schools. When I was finished and ready to leave my mom sat me down and with her face full of delight told me that Mr. Kim told her I was an above average student not only through his eyes yet through the many administrators as well and therefore, not only would he want me to graduate accordingly but also succeed further and stated that I will still be able to receive my high school diploma. By Eagle 4 doing so he will issue me a referral card to an adult school that is contracted with RodeoHigh School to deliver services for students who have failed to meet the unit requirement post graduation. I was excited and thankful for the news that my mom and I have received and for a new beginning throughout now what I call my “adult,” life. First thing I did when I left the house was go to the counseling office to meet with Mr. Kim and first action I did was thank him for his patience, opportunity, believe and most importantly for a new beginning. He was delighted to issue me the referral card and replied “your mom is a very good mom take care of her,” I was full of emotion as small tears dropped through my cheeks. There was nothing at this point that made me happier then to receive my diploma and then move on to college in which was my ultimate ambition. Didn’t take me time to realize what he meant that day I went back home to my mom and gave her a big hug and told her that she is the best mother my brother and I can ever have. Soon after I started classes for my diploma with another pair of teachers who I would have to say were one of the best mentors in also getting me to reflect in the good of the world. It didn’t take me long to finish off my studies in about as little as 10 months I was complete with the 15 units I needed to achieve to receive my diploma. Off I go to West Covina High School show Mr. Kim that I have completed the courses just like he instructed to do so only to find out that Mr. Kim was no longer a counselor at that high school this had to be most certainly another tuning point in my life.

I have realized so much during these past years which includes as everyone used to tell me never take no one or anything for granted today we have it tomorrow we may not. During the course of the barriers I have developed, implemented, analyzed and measured where I want to go, be and what is going to help me keep on going. Life was full of darkness were society in my perception is still dysfunctional till this day yet am glad to say I made a dysfunctional teen to a functional one by realizing my position in life.