Personal Narrative Analysis

By the time I was 13 years old, I thought I had everything planned out already up until college. I had already built up a plethora of excitement for everything I had been anticipating, so when my dad broke the news that my family would be moving, I was devastated. I wasn’t willing to leave behind my friends and everything that had been a part of my childhood. Because I had refused and avoided any possibility of change in my life since I was little, I wasn’t ready for change, nor have I ever experience significant changes in my life up to that point.
The move from Austin to a small, rural, white predominant town, especially as a minority, was overwhelming and shocking. Not only did I have to encounter a change in climate and scenery, but

I also experienced a culture shock. The majority of the people in my new town were more privileged and had a higher socioeconomic status than I was used to. Being a minority and not as wealthy, I was an outcast. This took away the confidence I had back in Texas and I resorted to being shy and quiet. I was no longer surrounded by friends to support me and it made it harder to make friends. I gradually started distancing myself from others. During my first year in Michigan, I was too anxious and afraid to join the sports and clubs that I had an interest in and enjoyed doing simply because I didn’t know anyone. My confidence level dropped even further and only left me with regret. My problem was that I was constantly holding on to the past and what I had been planning. Even though I made a few friends that year, I never let myself get too close to them because they weren’t anything like the people in Texas. I was still lingering on to who I used to be and the unfamiliar idea of change. It took me a while to realize how much damage I was doing to myself and all the opportunities I had been missing out on due to my lack of confidence.
The next year, I decided that I needed to make a change. It was my freshman year of high school, so I decided to join clubs and sports. I decided to step out of the isolating shell I have created for myself and started meeting new people in my extracurricular activities and classes. I found myself connecting with others more and made some close and supportive friends who ended up having a positive impact on my life. I learned how to let go of what I had in the past and decided to create new memories and a new path for my future. I started taking chances and getting out of my comfort zone, and it was the best decision I have ever made. The path to learning how to deal with change was rough, but it was worth it. It’s better to have overcome my fear of change sooner than later because there will be many more changes approaching in the future. I now know how to deal with the inevitable changes that will occur and how to turn it into a positive and enlightening experience.