Life Lesson From Grade 8

It has been nine long years of school, preschool to grade eight. Over those years, I have made thousands of choices. Some being life changing, and others were just deciding what to wear, but either way, a choice is usually not always easy to make. And that is why the choice to take on opportunities or "take a risk" is such difficult one. This is the lesson that I learned this year in grade eight, to take on opportunities. It has made me who I am today, and I'm proud of that.

At the beginning of grade eight, I was scared to take on opportunities because we were the middle of the pack. We weren't the scared, little grade sevens, yet we weren't the big, fearless grade nines. I felt that I was the outcast if I took a risk or opportunity that others didn't. I have always been my own person, but learning to take on opportunities is the thing that truly separates me from others. That all changed come march and April because that is when I found out about two opportunities I was asked to take.

One thing that changed my feelings about opportunities was that the school has picked me and two other grade eight students, to represent the school at the Canadian Leadership Conference in Montreal next September. Me out of all the other amazing kids in grade eight, I was selected. I was thrilled to hear the news and because of this I sort of developed a new outlook on life.

The reason my thinking and feelings changed may be because I was chosen to go on the trip, but also because I think that it's up to you to make your decisions in life. Decisions are just a part of life. You make choices or decisions everyday, from what to wear to what to eat, it's your life, so live it the way you want to. Opportunities do come along, but you may open up opportunities by making the right choice or taking a risk.

The second opportunity was that I was chosen to participate in the BC Summer Games in swimming. It is outside of school, but my point here is that the choices that I made with swimming opened up this opportunity for me. I swim eight days a week, including before school, which involves waking up at four in the morning. Being chosen for the BC games proves to me that I am doing the right things with my training as well as waking up at the crack of dawn is paying off.

Opportunities come one by one. I have learned that is important to take on opportunities because many could change your life. Start by taking on the small ones such as volunteering or even doing bonus work. The little things are what adds up. The larger opportunities may come later in life, or maybe even unexpected, but either way, it all leads back to the choices that you make each and everyday.