I’m waiting for the day my younger sister will approach me with teary eyes and say she despises middle school. Sometimes, I see it in her eyes that she isn’t happy. I’m waiting for her to say how seventh grade is horrible in its entirety, just as I did. And this is the answer I’m waiting to give her: It gets better.

The above statement is true. Let me begin by saying this, I wasn’t bullied. However, just because I wasn’t bullied doesn’t mean I didn’t have it easy. Middle school, (seventh and eighth grade), were my dark years; I was chubby and had self-esteem so low I had to bend down to the floor to see it. I was rather friendless with only one best friend who had a few not admirable flaws. She was funny and sweet at times, but she made me feel like dirt whenever I shook or got red presenting in front of a class. Also, she wasn’t considerate of me. For instance, last year she was harassed by a girl at our lunch table so we needed to sit somewhere else. We moved to a table at which sat some of my friend’s others friends; people I didn’t talk to or particularly like. For those last three months of school, I resorted to spending my lunches quietly, not speaking at all. When I told my friend this, she didn’t care. That happened quite often, her not caring about what my feelings were. Not only this, but I was in all honors classes. My friend was not as intelligent as me, so I didn’t have anyone to talk to. I’ve always been extremely shy, so it was hard for me to talk to new people and open up to others. So, I was very lonely during school as well. My weight was not where I wanted it to be, so I was very insecure too. Middle school was a struggle.

Now, I’m a freshman. Everything has changed, and I’m so much happier. I’ve moved up from honors classes to academy, a program higher than honors. I’ve made a boisterous new friend who managed to crack open my shell. I’ve also joined the swim team, where I’ve improved so much. I’ve placed fifth in the 100 freestyle three times, which I’m proud of. Our swim team is jointed with another school nearby, so I’ve made new swim friends from that school as well. I’ve shed some weight which I’m ecstatic about. It’s fabulous to have new friends to talk to. I don’t feel like an outsider anymore, and I feel like I really belong—in my new friendships where I’m treated as an equal, as a swimmer, and as a student. As for my other friend, I still talk to her. However, we’ve distanced ourselves from each other, which feels nice. It’s healthy for her and I to branch other and talk to other people. Thanks to the pain I went through in that friendship, I know what a real friend should look like and act like. The lesson I’d like people to take with them after reading this is that life gets better. If you push through pain, victory will come. I pushed through a tough friendship and things got better. Thus, while pain lasts, it is only temporary. It will grip your neck like an angry python, but it will go away after a while. Don’t give up.