I've never been good at writing. Three years ago I decided to change that. Here is my story from 8th grade to college

Three years ago, I sat in my room, staring blankly at the wall, as the tears streamed down my face. Tears of sadness, of defeat, of failure. <br><br>I was a high school freshman, and my English level was sorely lacking. I had placed in a class of Special Education students, and so, I was never really challenged. I had always struggled with English. It was never my strong suit. I dreaded English class, hated everything about it, and it always weighed heavily on my mind. As I looked back, I realized how far behind I was when I compared it to my other classes. I was in an advanced math class, but English? Not so much. <br><br>So, I made the decision that I wanted to change. I wanted to learn to write. I wanted to feel accomplished, to feel proud of myself, to feel confident. And at that moment, I realized it was my choice to make that happen.<br><br>I pulled out my laptop from under my bed, and I opened a new document in Microsoft Word. I titled it, and there it was. The first sentence stared back at me, blank and uninviting:<br><br>"The night had been winding down for hours."<br><br>I started writing. 50 words turned to 100, 100 turned to 200. Each time I wrote, I felt a sense of pride that I had never felt before. I was doing it. I was writing. <br><br>So, I continued. For two years, I wrote faithfully. I wrote about my day, my life, what was going on in the world, and anything else I could think of. In the spring of my senior year, I had written over 150,000 words. Quite a feat for someone who had been struggling just six months prior. By the time I graduated, I had written over 270,000 words.<br><br>I also wrote poetry. Poetry became my comfort. I wrote about my personal struggles, my mental health, love and heartbreak, and again, anything else I could think of. <br><br>I eventually started a blog. To date, I have posted 150 articles, which range from poetry and stories to journalism pieces and arguments. I had finally found my passion. I found happiness - or at least, I thought I did.<br><br>One day, I decided to sign up for a creative writing class at my local community college. I was nervous as the first day approached, with doubts haunting me. What if I wasn't good enough? What if I failed? What if I looked foolish? When I walked in, I was terrified. I realized that everyone else in the class had either been a creative writer their entire lives, or they were already in college studying writing. I was the only high school student in the room, and I had never felt so out of place. I almost cried, I was so nervous. Turns out, however, that I didn't need to be so worried after all. The other students in my class were kind, and we all bonded instantly. When it came time to share our work, I was still nervous, but they surprised me with their kindness. They pointed out what I did well, what I could improve on, and they encouraged me to keep going. I realized then, that I wasn't alone, but I had no idea just how much I would rely on these people. <br><br>A month or so into the class, a minor family emergency shook me. I was so stressed out about it, I didn't think I could handle it. I didn't want to talk to anyone, but I didn't want to be alone either. I didn't know what to do. That's when I realized that these people I had befriended in class may be able to help me. <br><br>I reached out to them, and they did more than help. They became my safe space, my sanctuary. Any time I wanted to talk, they were there, willing to listen. They gave me the advice I desperately needed, and they offered a shoulder to cry on when I needed it. <br><br>They are still to this day, my safe haven, and I might not be here if they weren't. They encouraged me to keep writing, to keep pushing forward. They told me how proud they were of me, how far I had come. They were there to celebrate with me when I graduated from high school. <br><br>And they are also the reason why I am here today. This is my story, of how I changed my fate. I used to hate writing. I was terrible at it. But now, it is my passion. It is my solace, my comfort, my safe space. I am proud of myself, and I have never felt more confident. <br><br>If you are struggling, please know that you are not alone. If you want to change your fate, you can do it. It will be hard, and it will be scary, but by no means is it impossible. And if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to, or just someone to listen, I am always here.