Then...
- 8 years old. Bookworm. Teacher’s pet. Self-proclaimed chicken.
- Lafayette, Louisiana
Now...
- 21 years old
- Fort Worth, Texas
- Ad/PR student. Music fanatic. Self-confident go-getter
My Story...
I found this picture recently and laughed out loud, reminded of how awkward of a kid I was. And by “kid” I mean baby/infant/child/tween/teen. All of the above. Born pigeon-toed and cross-eyed, I literally came out of the womb destined for awkwardness.
Yet, somehow I turned out ok I think.
This was me in the second grade. A four-eyed chubster with some serious bang action going on. Let’s face it, I wasn’t exactly the popular kid on the playground. I had friends (still my best friends today), but was never the prettiest or the most athletic, nor the most outgoing, adventurous little girl. I’d shy away from the jungle gym because I didn’t trust my arms to hold me. I’d shy away from boys because I knew they liked my friends better anyway. And I’d shy away from taking the spotlight because that wasn’t where I thought I belonged.
I kind of did my own thing, less out of confidence, more because I was a chicken to do what everyone else was doing.
Thankfully, though, I wasn’t teased much—save for a few “four-eyed” jokes and a “potato-head” crack from the class bully one time. I still remember that potato-head burn. Not cool.
It wasn’t until high school that you could say I sort of blossomed. After the glasses, the braces came off, as did the baby fat that protruded from my ballet leotard for far too long. And I found the confidence in myself to do all the things I wanted to do: be the star of the ballet, join student government, date, and leave home for college.
I’m now a senior at Texas Christian University and couldn’t be more proud of who I’ve become, what I’ve done and where I’m going. As I enter my last year of college, I cannot wait for the next stage in my life. Yet as I look to the future, cheesy as it sounds, I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the past.
[…] Jenna. […]