After I read “The Day I Threw a Kegger,” by Allie Rich, I was surprised by how much I could relate to the story. However, I slightly disagreed with her statement: “It is smarter to learn from the mistakes of others than to make them yourself.” Though this is true in most cases, learning from one's own mistakes is a normal part of life.

When I was in third grade, a friend traded me a cap gun for a cheap top. I foolishly accepted the deal, and brought the gun home, concealing it in my closet. The next day, guilt started to sink in. I sneaked the cap gun into my pocket and gave it back to the boy. The secret got out, and I got in serious trouble, but everything turned out okay. This ­affected me greatly, and served as a good ­example of learning a great deal from one's mistakes. The feelings and thoughts of the person from whom the lesson is learned must also be considered.

Overall, Allie wrote an inspiring piece that helped me know I wasn't alone. We just need to understand that making mistakes, to a certain extent, is perfectly fine.
In Allie's story, she wrote about the time when she threw a party in her home without her father's consent. During the party, Allie watched her house “crumple” around her. I must ask: do you think you learned a lot from that experience? Would you have learned more if a friend told you about it?