The beginning of my junior year of high school was one of the most insane, traumatizing, and depressing years of my life. Yet, it was also one of the turning points where my life began to do a complete turnaround. But I suppose that's jumping the gun a bit. I was born and raised in Stoughton, WI with my two parents and younger sister. Until I was six years old I was the first child and better yet the first grandchild, so I guess you could say I was extremely spoiled and very privileged. Life to me means friends and family whom you can trust and who trusts you. I am pretty much on the happier side of life most days. But like all teenagers I had my "off days." That means I had days where I felt sad, depressed, and angry; although no one could tell from the outside. As a typical "popular" high school student, I had always wanted to be the center of attention, always made fun of the kids who were "different" then me, and never let my insecurities show. Up to the middle of the year my group of friends and I would laugh at the other students who looked weird or make fun of the students who were socially awkward. .
Then one Friday afternoon, when my younger sister walked through the front doors of our house, tears streaming down her face, rushing straight towards her room, ending with a slam of her bedroom door, I realized something was out of the ordinary. These episodes happened at least once a week for about two months, before my parents and I decided to talk to her. I always considered my sister to be a drama queen, therefore for those first two months, I never showed any compassion towards her. I was so used to always being the center of attention, that I never took any time to really figure out what was going on. I kept telling myself, "she will be okay, it will all pass over." I never knew what it was like be different, to be an outsider. As an older sister, I cared and loved my sister dearly, when I was told my mother received a phone call from my sisters school counselor about unknown cuts on her body, my immediate reaction was to cry.
