13.

When I was thirteen...

I was unsure of myself.  Entirely unaware of what the next few years would mean to me.  I had a difficult time judging the values of certain relationships, and setting goals for myself.  The transition into high school, for me, was simple.  I always hung around the older crowd, and knowing one of my best friends was a senior seemed quite reassuring.

It wasn't until senior year of high school I became totally comfortable with myself.  I progressed as a student, academically, and felt the strongest, mentally, that I had ever.  I was able to define the goals set for myself.  I went from having a .19 GPA freshman year, to ending my senior year with a 3.9.  The last month of high school, I became so comfortable with myself that I came out to my entire class...  yes, about having a girlfriend.

Since I was thirteen, I have grown into a very strong individual.  I am proud of the experiences I have been through, both good and bad.  I've learned to extract 'lessons-learned' from negative moments.  I've learned not only from my mistakes, but the mistakes of others, and I really feel that functioning this way is what got me through my years of youth.