I was attending another school and I was at a really low point in my life because my closest friends moved to Bridges. I wouldn't attend classes. Instead, I’d sit in the lobby of the school or leave because I found school extremely boring and useless.

Previously, I was motivated and felt school was fun, but that started to change. As time passed I started to lose friends and dealt with relationship issues. School became another thing piled onto everything else that stressed me out. It was hard to find motivation when I was going through one of the worst times in my life. I didn’t have my friends with me, I was failing my classes, and my school made me feel like my mental health didn’t matter.  It felt like anyone that didn’t play a sport or join a club didn’t matter, so I started to dislike school even more. Then, I’d come home to my mom asking about school which added to all of my stress.

Eventually I started thinking about moving schools. My friend would tell me all about Bridges, and explained the systems they had. For example, how they use 6 blocks instead of 2 semesters, the types of classes offered, and how the teachers were.  They told me, “The teachers were cool and very patient,” and actually cared about the students and their mental health.  It was a small school where everyone goes to get their work done, get ready to graduate, and get extra support. I felt like I needed that extra help and push.

I didn’t think I’d move right away, but I felt a new environment would help my mental health so I did it.  This was a huge & important decision because I didn't want to regret it or feel stuck.

I decided to give Bridges a chance, but I worried that I wouldn't be able to go to attend, and that I would be stuck in Glenwood. I was also worried about the commute and was scared that I wouldn't like it. I wanted to feel welcome and accepted in my new school and that's exactly how it turned out to be.

So much was going through my head but I decided to trust my gut and go with it. I went to Bridges before the first day and I met some teachers. I talked to Fitz, the principal, and she explained what I needed to do before moving to this school which included returning books, my chromebook and paying my fees. After getting all of that done I was ready for this big change in my life and I was ready to meet new people, new teachers, and be in a different environment.

At first, it was definitely intimidating. All the teachers were very welcoming and nice just like my friends told me they would be, and I liked the environment. They did care about students, helped us out a lot, and they all made me feel comfortable when it came to asking for help. They cared about how we were feeling mentally and understood students have more going on than school, so they made sure to help us. The classes were different and every teacher was very patient with me and I was actually comfortable enough to ask questions in class.

I realize now that it’s okay to ask for help and there will always be people that care. You just have to surround yourself with those people and positive environments. I also realized I took a huge risk that turned out to be the best decision for me. I'm happy with the outcome and I'm happier with the environment that I'm in and the people around me. I'm proud of myself for making a big change in my life and taking the risk of moving because I'm really happy.

© Jaqueline. 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.