7 to 100 real quick

`I’ve never struggled academically wise in my whole educational career. That was my thought process going into my sophomore year of high school I was so confident until I walked into my math class. I knew for well that math was my worst subject, but to be honest, I had heard this teacher was a great teacher so I thought it would be a breeze. My best friend was in the class, so I knew if I struggled he would try, and help me. And this is where I was so wrong. It was not my friend’s fault lets get that straight first off I may have had the laziest, unwilling attitude is known to man to ever walk through a math room. I would walk into the room with math on the back of my mind, and when you’re trying to pass something that’s, not the move. I would sit down, and instantly ignore the teacher, and take out my phone. So now that you have a view of class time, how about after school? Well, that was another joke in my mind, instead of me getting that needed help I would find excuses to leave early, and go to the store with friends or talk with my ex-girlfriend. It wasn’t until the end of the year until I realized how bad it was. I got a 7/100. Probably one of if not the worst performance of my life. I was disappointed in myself, and I needed to change. My friend was one of the biggest reasons I changed my outlook on school. I hate admitting it but he is smart, and always has a head on a swivel, and is a standout student. Over that summer he helped me changed, he was there as a friend, but also pushed me to the limit to show me why this was important. There were some nights I would have enough of it, and not talk to him. I’ll never forget the constant joes about my 7 in geometry, and it made me so long for the longest (we laugh about it now) But him pushing me gave me that edge that I was missing to really engage myself. So going into junior year in Algebra 2 I went all in. I give credit to myself for being able to get honors, and focusing on school, but I give him credit for helping me pull through math. For all the things I didn’t know, we would brainstorm and get it done no matter what. My friend was there and helped me when he did not have too, and that stood out to me, but that is how our friendship was built never letting another fall, and if we did we were in it together.

Even though my friend has helped me not only as a person, choices, and school I also helped him with his life. Now he had school, sports, and friends, but as best friends you really know the little things. My friend bottled a lot of things up through the years behind his life just like we all do, and there were times when he didn’t realize he was going a little over the top. So I would call him out, now if you haven’t ever called someone out you’re very close with it doesn’t go over well the first few times. Sometimes I wouldn’t say the best things, and I probably used one too many vulgar words. We would go at it, but in the end, he would understand that I wasn’t just saying things to get under his skin, and that tough love really has changed both us both. One of the times I remember showing this tough love was a late-night facetime we had in late July, this was right after a girl had come, and gone. This girl meant a lot to my friend, he was upset for a few days, and then one day I had to be tough cause it was making him really angry all the time. I texted him some not so nice messages basically telling him that nothing is gonna get better if you just keep doing what you’re doing. I told him that this happens it won’t be your first or your last, and that you gotta be the bigger person,, and not the one that looks weak. As much as he wanted to say you don’t understand, or go away I had been through the same thing, and he realized that this wasn’t the way he wanted to be perceived. That night that tough love helped him overcome some anger, and move on from something that he had built up for a who;e. One of the other biggest things I feel like I did for my friend though was listening. Your words and tough love can only go so far. That’s when you need to listen, and it turns out that’s all he needed, just like I need him to listen to me. Under what seemed like perfect life there were things that no one had ever heard, and just being there, and present in a rant or dumb conversation made all the difference. I would give my advice, and we are opinions would come out, and the situations and anger and pain would seem a little less. Anytime, anywhere we know that we got each other.

From a 1 pm rant too a 3 am rant. My friend and I are very different people, but that will never take away from the trust, and bond we have formed through helping another through the good, and the bad. From a 7 in geometry to honors to a simple question I could not have been here without him, and I know the feeling is mutual. So to him, you may never see this but thank you for everything, and I can’t wait for the future memories.

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