Change happens to everyone. Whether it is good or bad, we have to adjust, and what matters most is how we adjust to that change. Fighting the change or pretending it did not happen usually creates more drama and conflict, but sometimes we just cannot help ourselves. Adjusting to change and finding a "new normal" is more productive and just feels better. On the "finding normal" pages, you can reading stories written by teens who experienced change.

Belonging

Starting high school, I was full of goals. I wanted to play sports, be involved in theater, have friends and be (somewhat) popular. Soon enough, I saw that things just weren't going my way. I didn't make any sports teams, I failed my theater audition, and everyone just seemed to be too involved in themselves to reach out or care about other people. Fast friends seemed to drift away and I was more desperate than ever to find something or someone to be associated with.

I knew that theater was a long-term goal, and something that I really wanted to improve on and be able to come back to. However, it seemed as if I had hit a dead end. When we had our mandatory meetings with our class counselors, I made a leap of faith and decided to transfer out of my art class and into the chorus program. Being in chorus exposed me to a whole world of people who shared the same aspirations as me. Soon after that, I joined a school Improv Club.

Coming out of my shell at the Improv Club was hard, but everyone, from senior to freshman, was so supportive. I felt a new sense of family and enjoyed being able to hang out with older kids and people whom I would have never thought to associate with before. Even though I sometimes felt lonely or different at school, I could always look forward to after-school chorus rehearsals, dance or an improv show. With my new friends beside me, I am working as hard as I can to reach my prized goal of making the musical next year.

What I realized was that all that time I was looking for "normal" when I didn’t even know what that was for me. Having something to associate with and not having to stand on my own made me more confident and everything seemed easier to get through with real friends by my side.