Now I know what you are thinking. Most people who stay at home for a year before going to college are one of two things. You're either, one lazy, or two dumb. Well, I hate to break it to you, I couldn't be more opposite.

I didn't have your typical "high school experience." I guess you could say that it was pretty awful compared to the norm. Maybe because teachers today care more about you passing and getting the hell out over you actually learning anything. So much so that they pile pounds and pounds of homework on you so that if you fail a test, you'll have something to fall back on and bring up your grade. But, I'm not here to talk about our failing school systems. Although with that being said, I clearly was completely stressed ALL throughout my high school career. Oh, let me also mention, I got bullied relentlessly for being the bigger girl who just so happened to have a bad case of teenage acne, which made everything a million times worse.

With the stress, came anxiety and the fear of not being good enough to make it into a good university. I reached a point where I gave up. I stopped believing in myself and went to online school because the anxiety and stress which I didn't really put any effort into until the last quarter of my senior year. So, I graduated and I felt like a giant boulder of weight was lifted off my shoulders.

My initial plan was to go off to cosmetology school and sell myself short of actually going off to college like I wanted because I thought, maybe, just maybe, I still wasn't good enough. So, I took an internship at a salon, where I worked for a few short months. While being there I realized I was good enough to make it, but it was going to take some work. So I resigned and started to work as much as my little heart could take. I didn't just work on my grade point average, which was, unfortunately, low from all the high school drama, but I worked on me. On not only my mental health but my physical health.

So yes, I took a year off of school. No, I am not lazy, nor am I dumb. Like I said, I couldn't be more opposite from the two. I am taking this year off for me. To better myself and prove to myself that I am good enough in every way I can. Maybe lose some weight so I can finally be happy with myself. Maybe take a few classes at the community college to raise my grade point average. Hey, maybe I'll even start writing articles to tell people my story, give some advice, and start trying to pursue my career in journalism. If you ask me... that's pretty damn smart.