I’ve been trying to write this blog post for a good month now, but I’ve been stuck. Writer’s Block is what I believe it’s called on the streets. I’m probably overthinking this.

Anyway, a few Saturdays ago, I walked across a stage, got a diploma, and had my tassel flipped—aka, I graduated from high school. It feels like just yesterday I was scared to walk the ten feet or so down the hall to my kindergarten classroom. I was excited, but anxious and apprehensive about starting school. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about because I was a natural and loved every minute in the classroom. I soaked up knowledge like a dry sponge soaks up water.

How times have changed since then. I still love learning and still love school, but it looks a lot different now than it did then when we all had a square on the rainbow colored rug that covered our classroom floor. Never in my wildest dreams do I think I could have imagined what the past four years would be like. Okay, maybe in my wildest, but I never actually did.

I didn’t picture myself developing crippling anxiety, turning to food to cope. I didn’t picture myself ever leaving my ECHS. I didn’t picture myself homeschooling again. I didn’t picture myself competing in Latin competitions, or moving 800 miles away for college (well, come August). I never anticipated us rescuing a second dog, but he was sleeping on a pallet right next to me when I started trying to write this. I’m not really sure what I thought high school would be like, but none of this was exactly it.

I still have a lot to learn, don’t misunderstand me, but I know myself much better than I did coming into high school.

For one, I actually manage to semi-successfully style my hair most days. Can we all just take a moment for that miracle? But more importantly, I’m leaving high school with a better understanding of who I am. Within the past four years, I lost myself and had to rediscover myself because of that. I’ve had to relearn who I am, who Jordan is. What I like, what I don’t like, what I’m passionate about, what I hope to do one day. My dreams have changed, and so has my outlook on life.

If high-school taught me anything, it’s been to never get too comfortable because change is inevitable. Nothing about my high-school experience was particularly static, which, for a girl who likes plans and predictability, turned out to be quite the challenge.

I do not doubt for a second that more changes are to come. So here is to the untraveled path that lies ahead, and all of the things along the way.