Attitude Adjustment | Teen Ink

Attitude Adjustment

May 6, 2008
By Anonymous

“…Waiting on the world to change, we keep on waiting, waiting on the world to change…” were the first words Katie heard that early June morning. Katie’s lanky arm jerkily protruded from under the covers and fumbled around for the obnoxiously loud and annoying alarm clock that sat on her nightstand next to her bed.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Katie grumbled as she turned the death machine off and hurled it across the dark room. “Don’t let it be seven already!” She pulled her warm covers over her messy head of blonde hair and tried to












remember the dream she was having. She was on a sandy, white beach playing piano for Stevie Wonder and Sister Camille Anne who were doing the two step together.
Just then, the cozy, dark bedroom was flooded with a bright light and the high-pitched sound of her mother’s voice echoed through the tranquil room.
“What’s all the fuss about? C’mon, Katie, wake up! You have to be at Rummel in half hour. The bus to Natchitoches will leave for the workshop without you if you’re late,” said her mom as she pulled the sheets from over Katie’s head and rolled up the window blinds to add even more light to the room. Katie pulled her pink striped comforter over her face, trying to keep the harsh light away from her tired, sleepy eyes.
“Let the bus go! I don’t want to go to this thing anyway! It’s a complete waste of four days of my precious












summer! Besides, I don’t need help on my leadership skills. I’ve been doing fine these past few years. I think I’ve got it under control!” cried Katie with exasperation. Katie’s remark was definitely not what her mom wanted to hear.

“Oh enough with the bad attitude! You are going to this leadership workshop and you’re gonna have fun, got it!” Katie’s mom turned to leave, “Now get dressed. Breakfast is almost ready.” With that, she left the room and closed the door with a snap. Katie kicked off the covers, resentfully got out of her warm bed, and slowly started to get ready for the long day ahead.
“Whoever signed me up for this workshop is gonna get it!” Katie thought to herself. “If they think they can make me sing weird leadership songs about forest animals, they better think again!” Katie’s anger followed her all the way down to the breakfast table.












“Are you sure I have to go, Mom?” Katie miserably asked as she poured syrup over her warm French toast. “I feel sick. Cough, cough. I don’t think I can go anymore.”

“Oh you’re going, Katie. There’s no doubt about it!” replied Mom with a smirk. “Go get your bags and put them in the trunk of the car when you finish eating, okay. And hurry up! We don’t want to be late!”

Within ten minutes, Katie had finished her breakfast, packed her bags in the car, and was ready to go to Rummel to get on the bus.
“I so could have slept ten more minutes, Mom.” Katie added as she turned on the radio and rolled down the passenger window to the yellow Ford Escape.
“As a leader, you should know that it’s better to be early, and now you can get a window seat on the bus,” replied mom with a smile.












“Joy.” Katie said sarcastically under her breath. The two drove in silence to Rummel and pulled in a parking spot a few cars away from the big yellow bus that would take Katie to her doom.
“Hey! Isn’t that JoAnn and Michelle? They are such sweet girls!” said Katie’s mom as she walked with Katie over to the line of people putting their luggage into the cargo space in the bus.
“Yeah, but I get those two girls confused all the time.” Katie remarked. The two tall girls waved at Katie and walked over to say hello.
“Hey, Katie!” JoAnn and Michelle said in unison.

“Hey guys. What’s up?” replied Katie as she slid her big, blue overnight bag into the bottom of the bus.














“Not much. I’m so excited about the workshop!” said Michelle in her giggly voice. “I heard they have really funny songs that the counselors teach us! I hope they sing the song about a squirrel who meets a moose and they become friends. That one’s my favorite!”

“OMG, Michelle! That’s my favorite song, too, like LOL!” squealed JoAnn excitedly.
Katie sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. She was looking out the window, zoning out of the boring conversation she was supposed to be in. A few feet away from the bus, she saw one of her old friends that she met at a service camp last summer. Katie remembered how much fun she had at camp and all the cool people she met there. Katie realized that she had the same ignorant attitude toward that camp as she did with this workshop yet she ended up having lots of fun.














“Katie, are you alright? You have , like a really weird look on your face?” Michelle asked quizzically.
“Who, me?” Katie shook her head laughing, “Yeah I’m fine. I guess I just realized how much fun I’m gonna have with you guys! C’mon let’s get on the bus, I want to get a window seat!” Katie told her mom good-bye and boarded the bus with her two friends. Katie looked around the crowded bus and saw a whole bunch of people that she remembered from other Student Council events. “Yeah,” Katie though to herself happily, “this workshop is gonna be awesome!”


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