“Wake up and smell the routine,” that’s what I thought every morning until the first day of my senior year. He walked right into my life about six feet tall wearing black skinny jeans, a studded military jacket, and dreads. As he took the computer right next to mine I found out his name was Tommy, and he wrote for the school newspaper with the rest of our journalism class. Since I’ve grown up in one of the most conservative towns in Wisconsin, I didn’t expect someone like him. While we watched Jersey Shore and drove our parents Escalades, Tommy protested. He had an opinion about everything and he wanted everyone to know. He had a voice and has inspired me to use my own voice.
I thought most of high school as you were suppose to follow the crowd, to experience it fully. I went to Friday night football games, dances, and was “popular.” I was ignorant and never thought that maybe I should do what I want. I’ve learned through Tommy that one who follows the crowd will go no further than the crowd.
I inspire to be a writer. My dream is to one day write for a comedian like Chelsea Lately or script write for Hollywood. I also want to travel, climb a mountain, and ride an elephant in India. And I want to drink beer during Oktoberfest in Munich, make a hole in one, and run a marathon.
When I think about my future, I see the bricks that lay before me. A path of ambition that Tommy has inspired me to go down. However, I don’t live for Tommy and I can’t live my life like Tommy. I live for myself, and what drives me is my anger and what guides me is my hope. My future is unpredictable, but I have the confidence that I can attain anything I reach for. I can accomplish anything that I put my mind to, to reach my full potential.