I am from a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, about 45 minutes outside Houston, Texas. My hometown had a booming population count of 410! I was a typical latchkey kid of the 1980s who experienced an incredible amount of independence at a young age. I got myself to and from school, often stopping by Granny and Pawpaw’s house for snacks or a good pep talk. I did not have a great elementary school experience. I struggled more than my classmates in reading and math. Youth can harshly affect a child’s self-esteem, so I became timid and withdrawn.
My community was tiny, and my dad was the fire chief, so I got away with nothing they did not find out about before I got home. As a young person, I hated it, but as an adult, I am so grateful for the wholesome life I grew up in. I remember having fire prevention week at school, where my dad and the firefighters I grew up knowing would give us tours of the station the trucks, and we could create posters for a contest. We would learn so much about fire safety that sticks with me even today.
Our town was so small that once I finished elementary school, I had to be bused to the next town over for junior high and high school. Junior high was the first time I experienced electives. I remember being so excited to have an art class, and it was the only class that I liked. I absolutely hated PE, and English was a close second. When it came time to transition to high school, I decided that it was time to explore my interests more (thanks to electives). I signed up for FFA (Future Farmers of America), tried out for Drill Team (a dancing squad), and abandoned my attempts of being a no-cares headbanger/punk-rocker wannabe. I did not fit into any group and finally felt okay about that. I consider myself a bit of a chameleon since I could get along with any number of groups of people. I got along with the country people, the jocks, the band, the GT (Gifted and Talent), and every other group that was willing to give me a chance to be myself. Thanks to in-school and out-of-school interests and hobbies, I was much happier in high school than in my early years. Friends and a developing personal identity made school much more enjoyable.
The Advisor That Cares 