This I Believe by Alyssa H.
Yolo, also known as you only live once, is what inspires me.
The phrase has been around since 2012, which is when the word first gained its
popularity with people of all ages. Yet it is now 2021 and Yolo is slowly becoming
outdated, but it still holds a very important part in my life.
This phrase has been on my mind ever since I started my last year of high
school. I have really been thinking over how I spent the longest yet shortest four years
of my life and I wonder, did I use my time right? Could I have made more memories?
Did I make the right choices?
From seventh to tenth grade, I was very reserved. I wouldn’t talk to anyone
outside of my friend group unless they spoke to me first. But I did not want to look back
on my high school experience and only think of the things I could have done. I want to
look back fondly and remember my different friends and the moments we shared
together. All the goofy pictures we’ve taken and even the cringy experiences hold a
special place in my heart.
So, this year I decided to make a change. This phrase has pushed many people
to accomplish things they wouldn't normally have dared to do, so I decided to let it push
me to.
I began to open up to people in my attempt to be more social and
somehow I managed to make it onto homecoming court with my two best friends
Austin and Emily. The moment we heard all our names over the loudspeaker felt
surreal. Homecoming was just the start of all the fun times that were to come my
senior year. It wasn’t all just midnight Starbucks runs and staying up all hours of
the night, I worked a little harder this year too, in all aspects of myself.
Eventually, I did improve, enough so that I got a starting spot on the
volleyball team. And in my efforts to get better I met my two sweetest friends
Aubri and Cheyenne who never failed to make the three-hour practices bearable.
All the inside jokes and late-night bus rides home were the main reason I stuck
with the sport.
I used to take pride in the fact that I would rarely cry, but the moment we lost our
last match I started tearing up. It wasn’t because this was my final game of high school,
but because it was my last game with my friends.
So many times before in my life, I wouldn’t bother going out of my way to make
an effort, and I have grown so much this past year. We all live a life that has an
unknown expiration date, people were made to be spontaneous, and make mistakes.
So why not make those mistakes and learn and continue to be the best person you
can be and grow. After all, you only live once!
