I was about twelve years old when I moved from Puerto Rico to Irondequoit. At that time, I kept to myself, and I never cared about who I was and what I wanted in life. The first year of middle school is when I realized that, for most young teens, middle school is a popularity contest. Everyone wanted to be someone, and they wanted to stand out. I had struggled with that all my life. Until my junior year of high school, I never knew who I was or who I wanted to become. I lacked motivation, didn’t have any goals, and didn’t care about my identity. During the summer of 2022, my mom also felt my lack of motivation. She said that I wasn’t the same person I used to be. She felt like I was keeping too much to myself that I wasn't being open. I just didn’t care about anything. When something happened, I would act like it was nothing and stay quiet. I didn’t want to deal with any of the problems that I faced because I did not want to bother. Since my mom felt that change in me, she sent me to Puerto Rico to live with my aunt and cousin for two months.

This was the first time I stayed in Puerto Rico since moving away. At first, I was uncomfortable being with my cousin because I hadn’t talked to her since I had moved. Before moving, I always considered her as my little sister, and I have great memories about us as kids, but she had changed a lot in four years. I started to realize how grown up she was, and her interests and all the stuff I learned about her blew my mind. I have great memories from the trip—I went to a festival, and I attended my first concert ever—but I will never forget the night when the concert was over and we got home: I watched my 15-year-old cousin sit down with her laptop, examining college applications. It blew my mind because I was a year ahead of her and hadn’t even started to think about my life after high school.

That’s when my whole mentality changed. I admired what an amazing person my cousin was; the energy and passion she put into everything inspired me. When I was sitting by myself at the airport, I reflected on everything that had happened in Puerto Rico. I never had felt more alive. I was thinking about how my home, culture, and family really helped me realize that I am capable of becoming a successful person and that they are always there to help me accomplish my goals and advise me through tough times. I knew that when the new school year started I wanted to leave a mark and be known for my work and effort.

When I came back to Irondequoit and my junior year started, everything changed: I was locked in. My grades improved immensely, and I had a positive attitude. Most importantly I had an identity. I was seeking help from friends and staff and now I get to shadow at a physical therapy clinic. I meet and interact with incredible people every day. I went to my first college visit during the winter, and that motivated me even more. After the visit I knew that I wanted to continue my education and pursue my dream of becoming a physical therapist. The most important part is that I became comfortable about who I was and my Puerto Rican heritage. A lot of teens might have problems with trying to fit in or knowing who they want to become, but that’s ok. What makes America is its diversity. People’s different races, ethnicities, and identities are what make this country special, and I am extremely lucky for the privilege of coming from La Isla del Encanto, Puerto Rico.

© Sebastian. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.