Dealing with a new beginning

You experience a new beginning everyday. However, what makes each beginning so significant is up to each individual and the things that follow after it.

We have had thousands of “beginnings” already, and there are certainly more to come in the future. When we were first born, it was the beginning of our life. Although none of us remember the exact details of that day, we know that it was the beginning of our future. Since that fated day, many other countless beginnings have come, like the day we took our first steps.

Our first birthday. Our first day of school. Our first loose tooth and our first visit from the tooth fairy. They all begin something and everyday we wake up to something new, even if our lives seem to be a monotonous cycle of school or work. However, there are some beginnings that we cherish the most, and for me, the beginning of my most cherished beginning starts with joining Academic Decathlon.

When I started Academic Decathlon, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The program paired me with people I considered much better than myself and the hundreds and hundreds of pages of information intimidated me. Not only would I have to memorize the material though, I’d also have to deliver a speech. New beginnings often lead to growth, in both character and as a person.

In decathlon, I grew by becoming more open towards my teammates and those around me. I always had the fear of speaking in front of people, to the point of shaking, but in decathlon I was able to overcome that and finally be more confident in myself. It is also with decathlon that I met my best friends, and as cheesy as it sounds, my second family. I am able to act as myself and they are part of the people that I can’t imagine being without. I didn’t know that the first day of decathlon would lead into my first and final California State competition. If not for beginnings, I would never have been in the program that will forever be in my mind.

With beginnings, we learn to cherish moments in life, and the beginnings to come that we look forward to. For me, I can’t wait for a new beginning in college and see how that shapes me and my future as an adult in this world.